Glycosyl Glycerides

Abstract

This chapter focuses on glycosyl glycerides. The glycosyl glycerides are structurally similar to phosphatides and are composed of carbohydrate residues glycosidically linked at the 3-position of sn-l,2-diglycerides. The glycosyl glycerides are widely distributed in plants, bacteria, and animal tissues. In the chloroplast and in certain bacteria, the glycosyl glycerides are quantitatively major lipid components. In animal tissues, the glycosyl glycerides are confined to the nervous tissues, where they occur in significant amounts. Galactosyl glycerides occur in high concentrations in Chlorella and are the major neutral lipids of the photosynthetic tissues. There are precautions that should be taken to obtain quantitative extraction of glycosyl glycerides, that is, to avoid enzymic degradation and loss because of autoxidation, particularly in leaves where glycosyl glycerides occur in association with highly unsaturated fatty acids. Glycosyl glycerides of animal tissues are readily extracted with chloroform such as methanol mixtures. Column chromatography is the most useful technique in the separation of glycosyl glycerides from other lipids.