LIPIDS, AND THEIR CONSTITUENT FATTY-ACIDS, OF PHAEOCYSTIS SP FROM THE ARABIAN GULF

This paper reports on the first Phaeocystis sp. (hereafter Phaeocystis) bloom in the Arabian Gulf. Total lipids from three Phaeocystis colonies sampled in November 1987 and in March and May 1988, comprised ca 11.0% of the dry biomass. Triacylglycerols (TG) and/or free fatty acids (FA) predominated in the lipids of all three samples. Polar lipids consisted of mixtures of phospholipids and glycolipids. Diacylglycerotrimethylhomoserines (DGTH) were present in all extracts, whilst conventional phospholipids only occurred in low concentrations. The predominant glycolipids were monogalactosyldiacylglycerols (MGDG) digalactosyldiacylglycerols (DGDG), sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerols (SQDG) and steryl glycosides (SG). The predominant fatty acids in the total lipids of all three samples were palmitic (16:0) and oleic (18:1) acids. Total lipids of the November sample contained the smallest proportion of palmitic and the largest of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) - especially C16. The proportion of PUFA was considerable in individual polar lipids. C16 PUFA were more common in individual polar lipid classes of the November and March samples than that of May. The concentration of constituent C18 PUFA was relatively low. PUFA with chains longer than 18 C atoms only occurred in very low concentrations, and were confined to certain polar and nonpolar lipid classes of the November sample only. © 1990 Springer-Verlag.