Chromatography of long chain alcohols (polyprenols) from animal and plant sources

Very long chain fatty acids

Very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are important components of various lipid classes in most organisms, from bacteria to higher plants and mammals, including humans. VLCFAs, or very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLCPUFAs), can be defined as fatty acids with 23 or more carbon atoms in the molecule. The main emphasis in this review is on the analysis of these acids, including obtaining standards from natural sources or their synthesis. Furthermore, the occurrence and analysis of these compounds in both lower (bacteria, invertebrates) and higher organisms (flowering plants or mammals) are discussed in detail. Attention is paid to their biosynthesis, especially the elongation of very long chain fatty acids protein (ELOVL4). This review deals with papers describing these very interesting compounds, whose chemical, biochemical and biological properties have not been fully explored.

cis-prenyltransferase 3 and α/β-hydrolase are new determinants of dolichol accumulation in Arabidopsis

Dolichols (Dols), ubiquitous components of living organisms, are indispensable for cell survival. In plants, as well as other eukaryotes, Dols are crucial for post-translational protein glycosylation, aberration of which leads to fatal metabolic disorders in humans and male sterility in plants. Until now, the mechanisms underlying Dol accumulation remain elusive. In this study, we have analysed the natural variation of the accumulation of Dols and six other isoprenoids among more than 120 Arabidopsis thaliana accessions. Subsequently, by combining QTL and GWAS approaches, we have identified several candidate genes involved in the accumulation of Dols, polyprenols, plastoquinone and phytosterols. The role of two genes implicated in the accumulation of major Dols in Arabidopsis-the AT2G17570 gene encoding a long searched for cis-prenyltransferase (CPT3) and the AT1G52460 gene encoding an α/β-hydrolase-is experimentally confirmed. These data will help to generate Dol-enriched plants which might serve as a remedy for Dol-deficiency in humans.

A new approach for analysis of polyprenols by a combination of thin-film chemical deposition and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

The polyprenols are involved in some essential biosynthetic pathways and serve as ubiquitous components of cellular membranes, so their fingerprinting in natural samples is of great interest. Previous studies indicate that due to the high hydrophobicity of polyprenols their direct analysis by mass spectrometry with soft ionization techniques may be difficult and require preliminary off-line derivatization. Hence, a method for rapid and sensitive screening of polyprenols is required.

METHODS

A combination of thin-film chemical deposition and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) was used for analysis of the polyprenol profile of Abies sibirica L. extract. Polyprenol-based monolayers were formed at the interphase of aqueous barium acetate solution, supplemented with 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, and an n-hexane solution of polyprenols directly on a MALDI target plate.

RESULTS

Peaks corresponding to [M - H + Ba]⁺ ions were observed in the MALDI-TOF mass spectra of polyprenols. A total of nine polyprenol homologues were identified with a polyprenol of 16 isoprene units dominating. The limit of detection was established at the level of 6 pg. Possible mechanisms of formation of [M - H + Ba]⁺ ions of polyprenols were discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed approach can be suitable for high-throughput screening of polyprenols in biological samples of different origin due to easy sample preparation and high sensitivity.

Identification of Homologous Polyprenols from Thermophilic Bacteria

Sixteen strains of five genera of thermophilic bacteria, i.e., Alicyclobacillus, Brevibacillus, Geobacillus, Meiothermus, and Thermus, were cultivated at a temperature from 42 to 70 °C. Twelve strains were obtained from the Czech Collection of Microorganisms, while four were directly isolated and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing from the hot springs of the world-famous Carlsbad spa (Czech Republic). Polyprenol homologs from C40 to C65 as well as free undecaprenol (C55), undecaprenyl phosphate, and undecaprenyl diphosphate were identified by shotgun analysis and RP-HPLC/MS-ESI⁺ (reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography–high-resolution positive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry). The limit of detection (50 pM) was determined for individual homologs and free polyprenols and their phosphates. Thus, it has been shown that at least some thermophilic bacteria produce not just the major C55 polyprenol as previously described, but a mixture of homologs.

The Effects of Solid and Liquid Lipids on the Physicochemical Properties of Nanostructured Lipid Carriers

The aim of this work was to identify from a review of current literature the effects of lipids used in the development of Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLCs) on the physicochemical properties of the resulting formulation. The size of the solid lipid, affected by the molecular weight and the complexity of the structure, tends to affect the particle size of the final formulation proportionally; the higher the molecular weight and the more complex the molecular structure, the bigger the particle size of the NLCs. However, there is no straight correlation between the size and the structure of the liquid lipid and the particle size. Moreover, there seems to be a correlation of the solid to liquid lipid ratio which affects the particle size; there has been a trend of increasing particle size when more solid lipid was used. Regarding the entrapment efficiency, it is highly affected by the drug and its interaction with the lipids, as its solubility in the lipids needs to be high so the drug can stay entrapped within the lipid core. There was no direct correlation between the type of lipid used or the ratio and the zeta potential, which affects the stability of the NLCs.

Identification of Abies sibirica L. Polyprenols and Characterisation of Polyprenol-Containing Liposomes

The needles of conifer trees are one of the richest sources of natural polyprenols. Polyprenol homologs from Abies sibirica L. lipophilic 80% purified extract were analyzed and quantified. In total, 10 peaks (Prenol-11 to Prenol-20) were observed in the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–diode array detector (UHPLC-DAD) chromatogram of Siberian fir with the most abundant compound being Prenol-15 (relative amount 37.23 + 0.56% of the total polyprenol yield). Abies sibirica L. polyprenol solubility and incorporation efficiency into liposomes were studied in various commercially available lecithin mixtures (Phosal IP40, Phosal 75SA, and Lipoid P45). The resulting multilamellar polyprenol liposomes were morphologically characterized by Light and Transmission Electron Microscopy, and the liposome size was discovered to be polymodal with the main peak at 1360 nm (90% of the volume). As polyprenols are fully soluble only in lipids, a liposomal formulation based upon co-solubilization and a modified ethanol injection method of polyprenols into the ethanol-phospholipid system was developed for the entrapment and delivery of polyprenols for potential commercial applications in food supplement and cosmetic industries.

Molecular Mechanisms of Natural Rubber Biosynthesis

Natural rubber (NR), principally comprising cis-1,4-polyisoprene, is an industrially important natural hydrocarbon polymer because of its unique physical properties, which render it suitable for manufacturing items such as tires. Presently, industrial NR production depends solely on latex obtained from the Pará rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis. In latex, NR is enclosed in rubber particles, which are specialized organelles comprising a hydrophobic NR core surrounded by a lipid monolayer and membrane-bound proteins. The similarity of the basic carbon skeleton structure between NR and dolichols and polyprenols, which are found in most organisms, suggests that the NR biosynthetic pathway is related to the polyisoprenoid biosynthetic pathway and that rubber transferase, which is the key enzyme in NR biosynthesis, belongs to the cis-prenyltransferase family. Here, we review recent progress in the elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying NR biosynthesis through the identification of the enzymes that are responsible for the formation of the NR backbone structure.

Isoprenoid Alcohols are Susceptible to Oxidation with Singlet Oxygen and Hydroxyl Radicals

Isoprenoids, as common constituents of all living cells, are exposed to oxidative agents—reactive oxygen species, for example, singlet oxygen or hydroxyl radicals. Despite this fact, products of oxidation of polyisoprenoids have never been characterized. In this study, chemical oxidation of isoprenoid alcohols (Prenol-2 and -10) was performed using singlet oxygen (generated in the presence of hydrogen peroxide/molybdate or upon photochemical reaction in the presence of porphyrin), oxygen (formed upon hydrogen peroxide dismutation) or hydroxyl radical (generated by the hydrogen peroxide/sonication, UV/titanium dioxide or UV/hydrogen peroxide) systems. The structure of the obtained products, hydroxy-, peroxy- and heterocyclic derivatives, was studied with the aid of mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods. Furthermore, mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization appeared to be a useful analytical tool to detect the products of oxidation of isoprenoids (ESI–MS analysis), as well as to establish their structure on the basis of the fragmentation spectra of selected ions (ESI–MS/MS analysis). Taken together, susceptibility of polyisoprenoid alcohols to various oxidizing agents was shown for the first time.

Analysis of plant polyisoprenoids

Polyisoprenoid alcohols are representatives of high-molecular terpenoids. Their hydrocarbon chains are built of 5 to more than 100 isoprene units giving rise to polymer molecules that differ in chain-length and/or geometrical configuration. Plants have been shown to accumulate diverse polyisoprenoid mixtures with tissue-specific composition. In this chapter, methods of analysis of polyisoprenoid alcohols in plant material are described, including isolation and purification of polyisoprenoids from plant tissue, fast semiquantitative analysis of the polyisoprenoid profile by thin-layer chromatography (straight phase adsorption and reversed phase partition techniques), and quantification of polyisoprenoids with the aid of high performance liquid chromatography. This approach results in full characterization of complex polyisoprenoid mixtures accumulated in various plant tissues and other matrixes.

Antibacterial/antifungal activity and synergistic interactions between polyprenols and other lipids isolated from Ginkgo biloba L. leaves

Polyprenols separated from lipids are promising new components from Ginkgo biloba L. leaves (GBL). In this paper, ginkgo lipids were isolated by extraction with petroleum ether, saponification, and molecular distillation. Eight known compounds: isophytol (1), nerolidol (2), linalool (3), β-sitosterol acetate (4), β-sitosterol (5), stigmasterol (6), ergosterol (7), β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (8) and Ginkgo biloba polyprenols (GBP) were separated from GBL by chromatography and identified mainly by NMR. The separated and identified compounds 1, 2 and 3 are reported here for the first time in GBL. The 3D-DAD-HPLC-chromatogram (190–232 nm) of GBP was recorded. This study provides new evidence as there are no previous reports on antibacterial/antifungal activities and synergistic interactions between GBP and the compounds separated from GBL lipids against Salmonella enterica, Staphylocococus aureus and Aspergillus niger. Nerolidol (2) showed the highest activity among all the tested samples and of all mixture groups tested the GBP with isophytol (1) mixture had the strongest synergistic effect against Salmonella enterica among the three tested strains. A proportion of isophytol and GBP of 38.19%:61.81% (wt/wt) was determined by mixture design as the optimal proportion for the synergistic effect of GBP with isophytol against Salmonella enterica.

Identification and characterization of a cis,trans-mixed heptaprenyl diphosphate synthase from Arabidopsis thaliana

In eukaryotes, dolichols (C(70-120)) play indispensable roles as glycosyl carrier lipids in the biosynthesis of glycoproteins on endoplasmic reticulum. In addition to dolichols, seed plants have other types of Z,E-mixed polyisoprenoids termed ficaprenol (tri-trans,poly-cis-polyprenol, C(45-75)) and betulaprenol (di-trans,poly-cis-polyprenol, C(30-45) and C(≥70)) in abundance. However, the physiological significance of these polyprenols has not been elucidated because of limited information regarding cis-prenyltransferases (cPTs) which catalyze the formation of the structural backbone of Z,E-mixed polyisoprenoids. In the comprehensive identification and characterization of cPT homologues from Arabidopsis thaliana, AtHEPS was identified as a novel cis,trans-mixed heptaprenyl diphosphate synthase. AtHEPS heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli catalyzed the formation of C(35) polyisoprenoid as a major product, independent of the chain lengths of all-trans allylic primer substrates. Kinetic analyses revealed that farnesyl diphosphate was the most favorable for AtHEPS among the allylic substrates tested suggesting that AtHEPS was responsible for the formation of C(35) betulaprenol. AtHEPS partially suppressed the phenotypes of a yeast cPT mutant deficient in the biosynthesis of dolichols. Moreover, in A. thaliana cells, subcellular localization of AtHEPS on the endoplasmic reticulum was shown by using green fluorescent protein fused proteins. However, a cold-stress-inducible expression of AtHEPS suggested that AtHEPS and its product might function in response to abiotic stresses rather than in cell maintenance as a glycosyl carrier lipid on the endoplasmic reticulum.

Contribution of the mevalonate and methylerythritol phosphate pathways to the biosynthesis of dolichols in plants

Plant isoprenoids are derived from two biosynthetic pathways, the cytoplasmic mevalonate (MVA) and the plastidial methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway. In this study their respective contributions toward formation of dolichols in Coluria geoides hairy root culture were estimated using in vivo labeling with (13)C-labeled glucose as a general precursor. NMR and mass spectrometry showed that both the MVA and MEP pathways were the sources of isopentenyl diphosphate incorporated into polyisoprenoid chains. The involvement of the MEP pathway was found to be substantial at the initiation stage of dolichol chain synthesis, but it was virtually nil at the terminal steps; statistically, 6-8 isoprene units within the dolichol molecule (i.e. 40-50% of the total) were derived from the MEP pathway. These results were further verified by incorporation of [5-(2)H]mevalonate or [5,5-(2)H(2)]deoxyxylulose into dolichols as well as by the observed decreased accumulation of dolichols upon treatment with mevinolin or fosmidomycin, selective inhibitors of either pathway. The presented data indicate that the synthesis of dolichols in C. geoides roots involves a continuous exchange of intermediates between the MVA and MEP pathways. According to our model, oligoprenyl diphosphate chains of a length not exceeding 13 isoprene units are synthesized in plastids from isopentenyl diphosphate derived from both the MEP and MVA pathways, and then are completed in the cytoplasm with several units derived solely from the MVA pathway. This study also illustrates an innovative application of mass spectrometry for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the contribution of individual metabolic pathways to the biosynthesis of natural products.

Alloprenols: novel alpha-trans-polyprenols of Allophylus caudatus

A novel type of polyprenols, alloprenols, with an alpha-trans-isoprenoid unit was found in the leaves of Allophylus caudatus (Sapindaceae) besides typical alpha-cis-polyprenols. The polyprenol family (Prenol-11-13, Prenol-12 dominating) was accompanied by traces of dolichols of the same chain-length. Prenol alpha-cis- and alpha-trans-isomers were chromatographically separated and their structure was analyzed by HPLC/ESI-MS, HR-ESI-MS and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. Model compounds, semi-synthetic alpha-isomers of all-trans-Pren-9 and mainly-cis-Pren-11, were obtained using an oxidation-reduction procedure. Comparison of their NMR spectra confirmed the structure of the newly identified polyprenols. The observed pattern of NMR signal shifts may be applied for elucidation of isoprenoid structure.

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry analysis of polyisoprenoid alcohols via Li+ cationization

Direct analysis of polyisoprenoids by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) often produces poor results requiring off-line time and sample-consuming derivatization techniques. We describe a simple ESI-MS approach for the direct analysis of polyisoprenoids using several dolichols and polyprenols with different chain sizes as proof-of-principle cases. Lithium iodide is used to promote cationization by intense formation of [M+Li]+ adducts. Thus, detection of polyisoprenoids with mass determination can be performed with high sensitivity (limit of detection [LOD] approximately 100 rhoM), whereas characteristic collision-induced dissociations observed for both dolichols and polyprenols permit investigation of their structure. Using ESI(Li+)-MS and ESI(Li+)-MS/MS analysis, we screened for polyprenol products of an octaprenyl pyrophosphate synthase of Plasmodium falciparum and dolichols in a complex mixture of compounds produced by Leishmania amazonensis and P. falciparum.

Polyisoprenoid alcohols from the mushroom Lentinus edodes

Lipids extracted from the shiitake mushroom Lentinus edodes contain dolichols composed of 15 up to 19 isoprene units with Dol-17 as the dominating prenologue. Identification of dolichols was achieved by the application of 2D-TLC, HPLC and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Additionally a family of polyprenols (alpha-unsaturated counterparts) with the same chain-length was also detected. Dolichols comprised approximately 0.002% of the fresh weight of the mushroom. Dolichols accompanied by traces of polyprenols are for the first time found in the mushroom tissue.

Divergent pattern of polyisoprenoid alcohols in the tissues of Coluria geoides: a new electrospray ionization MS approach

Polyisoprenoid alcohols of the plant Coluria geoides were isolated and analyzed by HPLC with UV detection to determine the nature of the polyprenol and dolichol mixture in the organs studied. In roots, a family of dolichols (Dol-15 to Dol-23, with Dol-16 dominating, where Dol-n is dolichol composed of n isoprene units) was accompanied by traces of polyprenols of similar chain lengths, whereas in hairy roots grown in vitro, identical patterns with a slightly broader chain-length range were found. Conversely, in leaves and seeds polyprenols were the dominant form, and their pattern was shifted toward longer chains (maximal content of Pren-19, where Pren-n is polyprenol composed of n isoprene units). Interestingly, the pattern of dolichols in seeds and leaves (in which Dol-17 dominated) was similar to that found in roots. Structures of the dolichols and polyprenols isolated were confirmed by the application of a new HPLC/electrospray ionization-MS method, which also offers a much higher sensitivity in detection of these compounds compared to a UV detector. The highest sensitivity was obtained when the [M + Na]+ ions of polyprenols and dolichols were recorded in the selected ion monitoring mode and a small amount of sodium acetate solution was added post-column to enhance the formation of these ions in an electrospray ion source.

Analysis of long-chain polyprenols using supercritical fluid chromatography and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The separation of long-chain polyprenols was successfully achieved using supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). Each 100-mer greater component was separated using tetrahydrofuran as a mobile phase modifier. The molecular mass distributions derived from SFC analyses agreed with the results of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analyses. The number-average molecular mass calculated by MALDI-TOF-MS data were also in accord with the results of quantitative 1H-NMR analysis of terminal groups. A combination of SFC and MALDI-TOF-MS analyses is a powerful tool for the elucidation of the complicated structures of natural polyprenols.

Chemical analysis of Ginkgo biloba leaves and extracts

The chemical analysis and quality control of Ginkgo leaves and extracts is reviewed. Important constituents present in the medicinally used leaves are the terpene trilactones, i.e., ginkgolides A, B, C, J and bilobalide, many flavonol glycosides, biflavones, proanthocyanidins, alkylphenols, simple phenolic acids, 6-hydroxykynurenic acid, 4-O-methylpyridoxine and polyprenols. In the commercially important Ginkgo extracts some of these compound classes are no longer present. Many publications deal with the analysis of the unique terpene trilactones. They can be extracted with aqueous acetone or aqueous methanol but also supercritical fluid extraction is possible. Still somewhat problematic is their sample clean-up. Various procedures, not all of them validated, employing partitioning or SPE have been proposed. Some further development in this area can be foreseen. Separation and detection can be routinely carried out by HPLC with RI, ELSD or MS, or with GC-FID after silylation. TLC is another possibility. No quantitative procedure for flavonol glycosides has been published so far due their difficult separation and commercial unavailability. Fingerprint analysis by gradient RP-HPLC is possible. After acidic hydrolysis to the aglycones quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin and separation by HPLC, quantitation is straightforward and yields by recalculation an estimation of the original total flavonol glycoside content. For biflavones, simple phenols, 6-hydroxykynurenic acid, 4-O-methylpyridoxine and polyprenols analytical procedures have been published but not all assays are yet ideal. Lately a there is a lot of interest in the analysis of the undesired alkylphenols and a few validated procedures have been published. The analysis of Ginkgo proanthocyanidins is still in its infancy and no reliable assays exist.