Characteristic distribution of glycolipids in gadoid fish nerve tissues and its bearing on phylogeny

Glycolipids were isolated from nerve tissues of gadoid fishes including Alaskan pollack and Pacific cod. Their chemical structures were determined by gas-liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and their constituents were analyzed in detail and compared with those of glycolipids from other fish groups. The results revealed that gadoid fish nerve membranes contain peculiar glycolipid molecular species that are distinctly different from those in other teleostean fishes and higher vertebrates. The mole percentage ratio of the four major glycolipids (cerebroside-sulfatide-galactosylglyceride-sulfogalactosylglyce ride) was 48:12:25:15, indicating profound accumulation of glycoglycerolipids. Galactosylglyceride and sulfogalactosylglyceride were primarily of the diacyl type (greater than 90%), the major fatty acids being 16:0 and 18:1. An abundance of glucocerebroside (25 to 55% of cerebroside) and its fatty acid ester (37 to 47% of ester cerebroside) was noted. Cerebroside and sulfatide were characterized by the absence of hydroxy and odd numbered fatty acids, and 24:1 acid was a predominant component of both glucocerebroside and galactocerebroside. Subcellular fractionation revealed that myelin membranes comprised such unusual glycolipid constituents as those seen in whole nerve tissues. A vertebrate whose nerve membranes consist of such peculiar glycolipid molecules has not previously been reported. The characteristics of the glycolipid composition in gadoid fishes are discussed in relation to myelin functions, physicochemical properties of nerve membranes, and the phylogenic significance of this fish group.