Glycerol 1,2-cyclic phosphate in centric diatoms. Observation by 31P NMR in vivo, isolation, and structural determination.

We have isolated and identified glycerol 1,2-cyclic phosphate as the compound responsible for a unique prominent resonance at 19.1 ppm in the 31P NMR spectrum in vivo of four species of centric diatoms, where it is responsible for 15 to 30% of the total signals from organophosphates. This appears to be the first observation of this compound as a major metabolite. It was not detectable in nine other species of algae, including four species of pennate diatoms.