THE ACYLATION OF MONOACYL-L-α-GLYCERYLPHOSPHORYLCHOLINE UNDER VARIOUS CONDITIONS

Abstract

Monoacyl-L-α-GPC's (lysolecithins) were converted to their cadmium chloride complexes and acylated with myristoyl chloride in chloroform in the presence and in the absence of pyridine. Both preparations of the diacyl-L-α-GPC's were reacted with phospholipase A of Crotalus adamanteus venom, and the nature of the fatty acids released, as well as the lysolecithin fatty acids, was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. The compositions of the fatty acids were different in the two preparations. These findings could indicate that acyl migration occurs during the acylation of the lysolecithin cadmium chloride complexes both in the presence and absence of pyridine, or that phospholipase A does not invariably remove the acyl group attached to the β-position in lecithin. The nature and possible causes of these variations are discussed.