On the biosynthesis and composition of sterols and sterolesters in some sea anemones (Anthozoa)

Abstract

1. 1. The incorporation of radioactivity from either sodium acetate-1- 14C or dl-mevalonate-2- 14C into some classes of lipids in Metridium senile, Anemonia sulcata and Cerianthus membrananaceus is investigated. 2. 2. Lipid contents in these animals are relatively very high. Structural lipids make up a relatively small portion of these lipids, suggesting that part of the lipids is stored and functions as a reserve. This is also reflected in the composition of the neutral lipids. 3. 3. It is demonstrated that these animals utilize the injected precursor for the biosynthesis of lipids. The high incorporation of radioactivity from mevalonate into phospholipids is rather enigmatic. 4. 4. There was only a slight incorporation of radioactivity into the sterols and it is supported that likely sea anemones can synthesize sterols. 5. 5. Sterols with twenty-seven carbon atoms were predominant, cholesterol in all cases being the main sterol. 6. 6. The composition of free and esterified sterols of each species, but also the sterol compositions of the different species closely resembled each other.