Incorporation of linolenic‐1‐C¹⁴ acid into eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in fish

Abstract

Abstract Following intraperitoneal injection of methyl linolenate‐1‐C 14 into kelp bass, Paralablax clathratus , the highly polyunsaturated fatty acids of their body fats were concentrated by low temperature crystallization from acetone, and eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids were isolated from the concentrate by reversed‐phase chromatography and hydrogenated. The resulting arachidic and behenic acids were degraded stepwise to margaric acid, and the distribution of activity was determined. The results indicate that the injected linolenic acid was converted to eicosapentaenoic acid and the latter incorporated into docosahexaenoic acid. A probable conversion pathway is linolenic acid薔6,9,12,15‐octadecatetraenoic acid薔8,11,14,17‐eicosatetraenoic acid薔5,8,11,14,17‐eicosapentaenoic acid薔7,10,13,16,‐19‐docosapentaenoic acid薔4,7,10,13,16,19‐docosahexaenoic acid.