Content and Composition of Diacyl Glyceryl Ethers in the Pyloric Ceca and Ovaries of the Asteroids Solaster paxillatus and Asterias amurensis

Abstract

The content and composition of diacyl glyceryl ethers (DAGE) of the pyloric cecal and ovarian lipids of the asteroids Solaster paxillatus and Asterias amurensis were investigated. In both species, the pyloric cecal lipids contained a relatively high percentage of DAGE. On the other hand the ovarian lipids of S. paxillatus had an abundance of these compounds but were relatively low percentages in A. amurensis. The unsaponifiable matter isolated from the tissue neutral lipids consisted of remarkably high levels of glyceryl ethers and small amounts of alkenyl types. Among the different tissues examined, glyceryl ethers originated from DAGE were in general similar in composition; the most predominant component was 18:0 alcohol followed by 20:1 and 16:0 alcohols. The fatty acid compositions of DAGE and/or triglyceride classes of the different tissue lipids of the above two asteroid species were also discussed.