THE IDENTIFICATION OF DIMETHYL-β-PROPIOTHETIN IN THE ALGAE SYRACOSPHAERA CARTERAE AND ULVA LACTUCA

Abstract

Dimethyl-β-propiothetin (DMPT) has been reported to be present in some species of unicellular phytoplankton on the basis of the evolution of dimethyl sulfide (DMS), one of its breakdown products. The presence of DMPT in Syracosphaera carterae has now been confirmed by precipitation of it as the reineckate, with recovery and chromatographic analyses by paper and thin-layer techniques. Multicellular Ulva lactuca, which is known to contain DMPT, was used as a control. All steps were monitored by the gas–liquid chromatographic procedure for measuring DMS. Chromatograms were run in four solvent systems. All parts of the chromatograms were eluted, and tested for DMS. The only portion of any chromatogram that yielded DMS was that area corresponding to the RFvalue of authentic DMPT.