High performance liquid chromatographic separation of cholesterol oxidation products

Summary A fast, sensitive, high performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of cholesterol hydroperoxides and other major oxysterols, using two different detection systems (ultraviolet at 210 nm and light scattering), is here described. The hydroperoxy derivatives were obtained by cholesterol photoxidation, isolated by thin layer chromatography and joined with a standard mixture of 10 oxysterols (epoxy, hydroxy and keto derivatives). Aliquots were directly injected onto a 5-μm particle size, 25×0.46 cm i.d. Spherisorb S5 CN normal phase column, usingn-hexane/anhydrous ethanol (97:3, v/v) as mobile phase and a flow rate of 0.8 mL min⁻¹. This method allowed, in a single isocratic analysis, the separation and quantification of the primary and secondary cholesterol oxidation products in 30 minutes. The light scattering detector was particularly useful for the determination of nonderivatized 5,6-epoxides and cholestane-3β,5α,6β-triol. The sensitivity of both detectors was very similar for most of the oxysterols, except for the 5,6-epoxides and the 7-ketocholesterol. The method suitability for the determination of cholesterol oxidation products in food matrices was successfully tested on a saponified lipid extract from egg yolk powder.     

C-terminal processing of yeast Spt7 occurs in the absence of functional SAGA complex

Background  

Spt7 is an integral component of the multi-subunit SAGA complex that is required for the expression of ~10% of yeast genes. Two forms of Spt7 have been identified, the second of which is truncated at its C-terminus and found in the SAGA-like (SLIK) complex.     

Differential scanning calorimetry: a potential tool for discrimination of olive oil commercial categories

Differential scanning calorimetry thermograms of five commercial categories of olive oils (extra virgin olive oil, olive oil, refined olive oil, olive-pomace oil and refined olive-pomace oil) were performed in both cooling and heating regimes. Overlapping transitions were resolved by deconvolution analysis and all thermal properties were related to major (triacylglycerols, total fatty acids) and minor (diacylglycerols, lipid oxidation products) chemical components.All oils showed two well distinguishable exothermic events upon cooling. Crystallization enthalpies were significantly lower in olive oils due to a more ordered crystal structure, which may be related to the higher triolein content. Pomace oils exhibited a significantly higher crystallization onset temperature and a larger transition range, possibly associated to the higher amount of diacylglycerols. Heating thermograms were more complex: all oils exhibited complex exo- and endothermic transitions that could differentiate samples especially with respect to the highest temperature endotherm.These preliminary results suggest that both cooling and heating thermograms obtained by means of differential scanning calorimetry may be useful for discriminating among olive oils of different commercial categories.     

Determination of lysinoalanine by high performance liquid chromatography

This work suggests an HPLC method for qualitative and quantitative determination of N^ε(2-amino-2-carboxyethyl)-L -lysine (LAL). LAL was released from total hydrolysates of various proteins of animal origin and derivatized with dansyl chloride. The performance of two different columns, Spherisorb 3S TG and μ-Bondapack C₁₈, was compared; better resolution and quantitative response were obtained with the former. The mobile phase was a mixture of 0.01 M phosphate buffer (pH 7) and acetonitrile. Linear response and quantitative repeatability were tested for both detectors used (UV-Vis set at 254 nm; fluorimetric set at λ_ex(max) = 360 nm and λ_em(max) = 525 nm). For LAL standard the minimum detectable amount was 0.05 ng, whereas for LAL in actual samples the amount was 0.5 ng (40 μg/g of analyzed proteins). Good analytical repeatability was obtained, resulting in CV % of 4.7 and 3.8 for UV and fluorimetric detectors, respectively. LAL recovery was determined using both detectors; the values obtained were 94 % (fluorimetric) and 92 % (UV). Greater noise levels were observed with the fluorimetric detector and its higher sensitivity could not, therefore, be fully utilized. The highest amounts of LAL were found in the casein (2816 μg/g) and cooked albumin (615 μg/g) samples.     

High resolution gas chromatographic determination of diterpenic alcohols and sterols in coffee lipids

Summary The composition of the unsaponifiable fraction of coffee lipids extracted before and after roasting was determined in two coffee types (Arabica and Robusta) of different geographic origin. Component identification was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Large amounts of diterpene mono- and di-alcohols were found in both varieties; cafestol, kahweol and 16-O-methylcafestol were identified. Other components that were partly generated during roasting were also identified; these compounds seem to arise from the dehydration of cafestol and dehydrocafestol.     

High resolution gas chromatographic determination of diterpenic alcohols and sterols in coffee lipids

Summary The composition of the unsaponifiable fraction of coffee lipids extracted before and after roasting was determined in two coffee types (Arabica and Robusta) of different geographic origin. Component identification was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Large amounts of diterpene mono-and di-alcohols were found in both varieties; cafestol, kahweol and 16-O-methylcafestol were identified. Other components that were partly generated during roasting were also identified; these compounds seem to arise from the dehydration of cafestol and dehydrocafestol.     

Solid-phase extraction-thin-layer chromatography-gas chromatography method for the detection of hazelnut oil in olive oils by determination of esterified sterols

The sterol composition of extra virgin olive oil is very characteristic and, thus, has become a helpful tool to detect adulterations with other vegetable oils. Special attention has been addressed to the separate determination of the free and esterified sterol fractions, since both have different compositions and can thus provide more precise information about the actual origin of the olive oil. In the case of admixtures with small amounts of hazelnut oil, this approach can be extremely useful, because the similarity between the fatty acid compositions of both oils hampers the detection of the fraud. A hyphenated chromatographic method was developed for a sensitive and precise determination of esterified sterols in olive oils. The oil was subjected to silica solid-phase extraction (SPE) fractionation, cold saponification of the collected fraction and purification on silica TLC. The sterol band was then injected into an SPB-5 (30 m x 0.25 mm I.D., 0.25 microM film thickness) and the ratio [% campesterol x (% 7-stigmastenol)2]/(% 7-avenasterol) was calculated. The method was tested on extra virgin olive oil; good sterol recoveries and repeatability were obtained. The results were compared with another method. which has a different sample preparation sequence (silica column chromatography, hot saponification and silica TLC). Similar results were achieved with both methods; however, the SPE-cold saponification-TLC-capillary GC was faster, required less solvent and prevented sterol decomposition. The SPE-method was applied to an admixture with 10% of hazelnut oil and to a screening of 11 oils (husk oil, virgin and refined olive oils) from different Mediterranean countries.