CAROTENOIDS OF THE MARINE CHRYSOPHYTE PELAGOCOCCUS SUBVIRIDIS

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0031-9422(89)80345-0

The identity of the chrysophyte Pelagococcus subviridis from the Norwegian Sea was established by light and electron microscopy and by detailed carotenoid analysis.The strikingly yellow colour of the carotene fraction was caused by the presence of (6S,6'S)-ε,ε-carotene, the chirality of which was confirmed by CD.The dihydroxy xanthophyll fraction consisted of the acetylenic diatoxanthin and diadinoxanthin, which only occasionally have been reported from the Chrysophyceae sensu stricto.The species possessed two main xanthophylls, identified as fucoxanthin and the n-butanoyl ester of 19'-hydroxyfucoxanthin.High precision mass spectrometry of 19'-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin confirmed a diagnostically important allenic fragment resulting from cleavage of the 12',13'-single bond.A corresponding fragment is present in the mass spectra of fucoxanthin and structurally related allenic xanthophylls.CD properties, previously not reported for carotenoids ex Chrysophyceae, together with 1H NMR data, suggested the same chirality as for the corresponding carotenoids from other biological sources.The taxonomic position of P. subviridis is discussed on the class level.Key Word Index - Pelagococcus subviridis; Chrysophyceae; carotenoids; (6S,6'S)-ε,ε-carotene; fucoxanthin; 19'-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin; MS; CD; taxonomy.