In Vivo Studies of the Biosynthesis of [alpha]-Eleostearic Acid in the Seed of Momordica charantia L.

In vivo radiotracer experiments using 14C-labeled acetate, oleate, linoleate, and linolenate were conducted to investigate the biosynthesis of [alpha]-eleostearic acid in the seeds of Momordica charantia. With the exception of [14C]linolenate, all of these precursors radioactively labeled [alpha]-eleostearate. Kinetics of the time course of metabolism of the radioactive precursors indicate that linoleate is the acyl precursor of [alpha]-eleostearate and that its conversion to [alpha]-eleostearate occurs while the acyl moiety is esterified to PC. Pulse-chase experiments with 14C-labeled acetate or linoleate provided additional corroborative evidence that linoleoyl PC is the precursor of [alpha]-eleostearoyl PC.