SUR QUELQUES CONSTITUANTS LIPIDIQUES DE CORYNEBACTERIUM OVIS

The llplds of C. ovis (strain Bl/50) were successively extracted by petroleum-ether, ethanol-ether (1:1, v/v) and chloroform. The bulk of the petroleum-ether extract consists mainly of sodium corynomycolate together with sodium salts of C14, Cie and C18 fatty acids. Some triglycerldes and free fatty acids were also detected. Isolated from the ethanol-ether extract were: hydrocarbons, palmitone, free corynomycollc acid, a small amount of free corynomycolenic acid and a peptidollpld fraction. The phospholipld fraction contains a mixture of closely related compounds, having about 3.5% P. By hydrolysis, they are split into llpid components (50[long dash]70% of the Initial products; mixtures of Cjg and Cjs fatty acids and corynomycollc acid), and water soluble components (glycerol, glycerophosphorlc acid, mositol, arabinose, and small amounts of amlno acids). Complex substances, soluble in ether, having a high content of phosphorus (3.2 to 4.5%) were isolated from the chloroform extract. All of them contain glycerol, along with ethanola-mlne and sugars (glucose, galactose, arabinose, and a fast moving unidentified sugar) In one case, and with amino acids (chemically bound) in 2 other cases. Moreover, one third of the chloroform extract Is made of a fraction (10.8% N and 1.3% P) Insoluble In ether, which gives, by hydrolysis, 19% of llpld components and apolypeptlde containing all the usual amlno acids; the structure of this last fraction Is discussed.