THE STERYL ESTER AND PHOSPHOLIPID FATTY-ACIDS OF THE SPONGE AGELAS-CONIFERA FROM THE COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN

The steryl ester and phospholipid fractions of the marine sponge Agelas conifera were isolated and analyzed. The fatty acyl components of the steryl ester and phospholipid fractions as determined by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry were very similar and consisted of 56.8 and 62.7% of C-14-C20 acids (normal; branched, especially iso and anteiso; and monounsaturated, particularly DELTA9 and DELTA11 acids) and of 43.1 and 35.5% of C24-C26 acids (DELTA5,9 diunsaturated acids), respectively. The major constituent fatty acids detected were 13-methyltetradecanoic, n-hexadecanoic, 10-methylhexadecanoic, 11-octadecenoic, 12-methyloctadecanoic, 5,9-pentacoradienoic and 5,9-hexacosadienoic acids. The phospholipids isolated were identified as phosphatidylcholine (37%), phosphatidyl-serine (34%), phosphatidylethanolamine (16%) and phosphatidylinositol (11%). The distribution of fatty acids within the phospholipid classes was also determined.