Identification of unusual fatty acids of four alpine plant species from the Pamirs.

Fatty acid composition and structure in total lipids from the green above-ground parts of four alpine plants, Oxygraphis glacialis, Primula macrophylla, Rhodiola pamiroalaica, and Swertia marginata, were established by GC and GC-MS. A total of 55 fatty acids was detected, and 48 of them were identified. Ubiquitous palmitate, linoleate, and linolenate predominated in the lipids accounting for about 72-90% of the total fatty acids. At the same time, the latter contained numerous species, which were unusual for higher plants and included saturated odd-numbered n-acids (six C15-C25 species, 0.26-1.40%), saturated even-numbered very-long-chain n-acids (six C20-C30 species, 1.00-2.49%), iso-acids (nine C15-C26 species, 0.64-1.53%), anteiso-acids (four C15-C20 species, 0.08-1.57%), certain uncommon mono- and dienoic acids, as well as 16:3omega3, 18:3omega6, and 18:4omega3 acids that are absent from the most higher plants. Nine fatty acids were found here for the first time in higher plants and two may be new to science. The evidence on the unusual fatty acids is discussed with respect to their distribution in living organisms, pathways of biosynthesis, and chemotaxonomic role.