Metabolism of <em>trans</em>-3-Hexadecenoic Acid by <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> and by Lettuce Leaf.

The incubation of trans-3-hexadecenoic acid with cells of Chlorella vulgaris, and with lettuce leaf slices, resulted in reduction of the substrate to palmitic acid. Before this reduction was complete, the trans-acid entered all the acyl lipid classes present in the cell. Consequently, the specific location of trans-3-hexadecenoic in the phosphatidyl glycerol fraction of photosynthetic tissues cannot be explained on the basis that lyso-phosphatidyl glycerol is the only lipid capable of ‘accepting’ this acid. It is more likely that phosphatidyl glycerol or lyso-phosphatidyl glycerol is a required substrate or cofactor for the synthesis of trans-e-hexadecenoic acid from palmitic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]