Fatty acid composition of pinaceae as taxonomic markers

• Published in: Lipids Vol. 36; no. 5; pp. 439 - 451
• Main Authors: Wolff, Robert L., Lavialle, Olivier, Pédrono, Frédérique, Pasquier, Elodie, Deluc, Laurent G., Marpeau, Anne M., Aitzetmüller, Kurt
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer‐Verlag 01.05.2001; Springer Nature B.V; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology; Biomarkers - analysis; Biomarkers - chemistry; Chromatography, Gas; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids - analysis; Fatty Acids - chemistry; Food and Nutrition; Life Sciences; Phylogeny; Pinaceae - chemistry; Pinaceae - classification; Plant Oils - chemistry; Principal components analysis; Seeds - chemistry; triacylglycerol; fatty acid FAME; Ag-TLC; nuclear magnetic resonance TAG; fatty acid; fatty acid methyl ester GLC; argentation thin-layer chromatography; nuclear magnetic resonance; triacylglycerol UPIFA; argentation thin-layer chromatography anteiso-17:0; 14-methylhexadecanoic; fatty acid methyl ester; FAME; gas-liquid chromatography; 14-methylhexadecanoic FA; unsaturated polymethylene-interrupted fatty acid; UPIFA; anteiso-17:0; gas-liquid chromatography NMR
• ISSN: 0024-4201; 1558-9307
• DOI: 10.1007/s11745-001-0741-5

Following our previous review on Pinus spp. seed fatty acid (FA) compositions, we recapitulate here the seed FA compositions of Larix (larch), Picea (spruce), and Pseudotsuga (Douglas fir) spp. Numerous seed FA compositions not described earlier are included. Approximately 40% of all Picea taxa and one‐third of Larix taxa have been analyzed so far for their seed FA compositions. Qualitatively, the seed FA compositions in the three genera studied here are the same as in Pinus spp., including in particular the same Δ5‐olefinic acids. However, they display a considerably lower variability in Larix and Picea spp. than in Pinus spp. An assessment of geographical variations in the seed FA composition of P. abies was made, and intraspecific dissimilarities in this species were found to be of considerably smaller amplitude than interspecific dissimilarities among other Picea species. This observation supports the use of seed FA compositions as chemotaxonomic markers, as they practically do not depend on edaphic or climatic conditions. This also shows that Picea spp. are coherently united as a group by their seed FA compositions. This also holds for Larix spp. Despite a close resemblance between Picea and Larix spp. seed FA compositions, principal component analysis indicates that the minor differences in seed FA compositions between the two genera are sufficient to allow a clear‐cut individualization of the two genera. In both cases, the main FA is linoleic acid (slightly less than one‐half of total FA), followed by pinolenic (5,9,12‐18:3) and oleic acids. A maximum of 34% of total Δ5‐olefinic acids is reached in L. sibirica seeds, which appears to be the highest value found in Pinaceae seed FA. This apparent limit is discussed in terms of regio‐ and stereospecific distribution of Δ5‐olefinic acids in seed triacylglycerols. Regarding the single species of Pseudotsuga analyzed so far (P. menziesii), its seed FA composition is quite distinct from that of the other two genera, and in particular, it contains 1.2% of 14‐methylhexadecanoic (anteiso‐17:0) acid. In the three genera studied here, as well as in most Pinus spp., the C18Δ5‐olefinic acids (5,9‐18:2 and 5,9,12‐18:3 acids) are present in considerably higher amounts than the C20Δ5‐olefinic acids (5,11‐20:2 and 5,11,14‐20:3 acids).