Desorption/ionization efficiencies of triacylglycerols and phospholipids via EASI‐MS

Knowledge of the major effects governing desorption/ionization efficiency is required for the development and application of ambient mass spectrometry. Although all triacylglycerols (TAG) have the same favorable protonation and cationization sites, their desorption/ionization efficiencies can vary dramatically during easy ambient sonic‐spray ionization because of structural differences in the carbon chain. To quantify this somewhat surprising and drastic effect, we have performed a systematic investigation of desorption/ionization efficiencies as a function of unsaturation and length for TAG as well as for diacylglycerols, monoacylglycerols and several phospholipids (PL). Affinities for Na⁺ as a function of unsaturation level have also been assayed via comprehensive metadynamics calculations to understand the influence of this phenomenon on the ionization efficiency. The results suggest that dipole–dipole interactions within a carbon chain tuned by unsaturation sites govern ionization efficiency of TAG and PL. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rapid access to structured triacylglycerols acylated with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for nutritional applications

In order to better understand the metabolic fate of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), an efficient access to symmetrical and unsymmetrical triacylglycerols (TGs), esterified with PUFAs, with known high purity, is required. In this context, we optimized the esterification of a mixture of glycerols protected as dioxane and dioxolane with PUFAs. The kinetics of this reaction depends on various factors, such as the fatty acid chain length and the stereochemistry of the dioxane. Then, one-pot acetal hydrolysis and esterification of hydroxyl groups led to the desired structured TGs without either double bond isomerization or acyl migration (except when symmetrical TGs are acylated with long-chain saturated fatty acids in external positions). PUFAs location on the glycerol backbone was assayed by NMR, HPLC and pancreatic lipase hydrolysis.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of symmetrically structured triacylglycerols possessing short-chain fatty acids

Synthesis of symmetrically structured triacylglycerols possessing bioactive n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid or docosahexaenoic acid) at the 2-position and a short-chain fatty acid (C₂, C₄, C₆) located at the end-positions by a highly efficient two-step chemoenzymatic process is described. Full regiocontrol devoid of any acyl-migration side reactions was obtained in both a lipase promoted step to introduce the short-chain fatty acids exclusively into the primary alcohol positions of glycerol using activated vinyl esters at low temperature and a subsequent coupling reaction involving free EPA and DHA using EDAC as a coupling agent.     

微藻高油脂化基因工程研究策略

石化能源危机与全球气候变化已成为人类的两大重要难题。生物柴油作为可替代普通柴油的环境友好且可再生的能源受到普遍关注。相比植物油和动物脂肪生产,藻类油脂产率高且容易培养,被认为是未来生物柴油发展的重要原料之一。通过转基因技术强化油脂代谢途径,提高富油微藻含油量,已经成为新的研究热点。已有植物研究表明,增强甘油酯酰基转移酶表达,可以提高Kennedy途径代谢中间体通量,从而增加甘油三酯(TAG)的积累。本文综述了微藻油脂代谢途径的国内外研究现状和提高油脂积累的代谢调控策略;详细阐述了基于植物油脂合成强化的成功经验,通过增强微藻Kennedy途径对提高TAG生物合成的重要作用;讨论了当前转基因微藻的遗传转化方法及其需要解决的关键性科学技术问题;分析了基因工程技术调控微藻脂类代谢途径生产高油脂的可能性,并对该研究的发展进行了展望。     

Investigation of the complex thermal behavior of fats

The thermal behavior of three ural fats (displaying very different composition), cocoa butter (CB)², lard, and a stearin obtained from anhydrous milk-fat (AMF) fractionation, were studied by both DSC and X-ray diffraction as a function of temperature (XRDT). To perform temperature explorations between –30C and +80C, at rates identical to those used for DSC and ranging from 0.1 K min^–1 to 10 K min^–1, a new set of X-ray sample-holders, temperature-controlled by Peltier effect, has been developed. It is shown that the three more stable polymorphic forms of CB were easily characterized by either X-ray diffraction or DSC, and existence of two -3L forms was confirmed. On the contrary, the more complex polymorphism of lard and AMF required combined examination by DSC and XRDT and the brightness of the synchrotron source for studies at the highest heating rates. Quantitative analysis of the long spacings of XRDT recordings is invaluable for interpretation of thermal events. For instance, it was found that the simultaneous formation of two polymorphic forms, of apparent long spacing of 34 and 42 å, at the onset of lard crystallization might explain the difficulty of its fractionation.Special thanks to Courtney P. Mudd (NIH, Bethesda) for his pertinent advice on the mounting and use of thermoelectric devices. The study of lard crystallization was initiated by Valerie Portalier and suggested by Jean-Luc Vendeuvre of CTSCCV (Maisons-Alfort). For the AMF part of this study, stearin was fractionated by ADRIA Normandie, while characterization of its thermal properties was performed as part of a research program funded by ARILAIT Recherches and the French Ministry of Research and Technology.     

NMR metabolic profiling of organic and aqueous sea bass extracts: implications in the discrimination of wild and cultured sea bass

The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique was used as analytical tool to determine the complete metabolic profiling of sea bass extracts: water-soluble metabolites belonging to different classes such as sugars, amino acids, dipeptides and organic acids as well as metabolites soluble in organic solvent such as lipids, sterols and fatty acids were identified. The metabolite profiling together with a suitable statistical analysis were used to discriminate between wild and cultured sea bass samples. Preliminary results show that discrimination between wild and cultured sea bass was obtained not only using fatty acid composition but also cholesterol and phosphatidylethanolamine and some water-soluble metabolites such as choline, trimethylamine oxide, glutamine, fumaric and malic acids.     

Influence of Tween 80 on lipid metabolism of an Aspergillus niger strain

Addition of 0.1% of nonionic surface-active Tween 80 to a medium optimized for pectolytic enzyme production of Aspergillus niger increased the amount of enzymes excreted by 70%. In the presence of Tween 80 the amount of sterol esters and triacylglycerols was increased. During the course of cultivation the amounts of precursors for ergosterol biosynthesis diminished with an increase of ergosterol. A. niger incorporated cholesterol from the medium, partly converting it to cholesterol esters. Sterol esters were formed only with selected fatty acids. Oleic acid, the hydrophobic part of Tween 80, was mainly incorporated in phospholipids and glycolipids.     

Lipid profile of fish species by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and a novel linear retention index database

In a previous article, Rigano et al. established a new linear retention index system for the identification of triacylglycerols by liquid chromatography methods only on the basis of the retention behavior and independently from many experimental parameters. In that work, a database of 209 compounds was built, but only 54 of them, typical of vegetable oils, were confirmed by mass spectrometry. The aim of the present research is to extend the applicability of the novel approach to more complex samples, such as fish lipid extracts, and assess the complementarity between mass spectromtery and retention information to achieve univocal identification. With this purpose, a new software was implemented to make the identification process easy and automatic as in gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry where the retention index filter is added in the spectral search to discriminate between compounds with similar mass spectrometry spectra. A total of 69 species were identified and, thanks to their baseline separation obtained by an ultra high performance liquid chromatography method, a semiquantification was also performed. The species under investigation were Dicentrarchus labrax, coming from aquaculture and the wild. Some differences in their native lipid composition were observed, probably related to a different diet. A major number of samples would be necessary to confirm such a preliminary finding.     

Regioselective opening of an oxirane system with trifluoroacetic anhydride. A general method for the synthesis of 2-monoacyl- and 1,3-symmetrical triacylglycerols

A trifluoroacetic anhydride-catalyzed opening of the oxirane system of glycidyl esters with a simultaneous migration of the acyl group provides a new, efficient entry to either 2-monoacylglycerols (2-MAG) or 1,3-symmetrical triglycerides (1,3-STG) as potential prodrug frameworks.