Isolation and structure of a galactocerebroside molecular species from the starfish Culcita novaeguineae.

A galactocerebroside molecular species, CNC-2, has been isolated from the less polar lipid fraction of a chloroform/methanol extract of the starfish Culcita novaeguineae. The structure of this galactocerebroside molecular species was determined on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence. CNC-2 is a phytosphingosine-type galactocerebroside molecular species with nonhydroxylated and hydroxylated fatty acyl moieties. The isolation of a galactocerebroside from echinoderms is rare.