Identification of an acyl donor in steryl ester biosynthesis by enzyme preparations from spinach leaves

A pathway for steryl ester biosynthesis in acetone powder preparations from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves has been elucidated; free sterol and 1,2-diglyceride were the substrates. Although animals synthesize cholesteryl esters by three distinct biosynthetic pathways, none of these pathways utilizes 1,2-diglyceride as an acyl donor. Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidic acid, triglyceride, 1,3-diglyceride, 1-monoglyceride, free fatty acid, and fatty acyl-CoA were not acyl donors for spinach leaf steryl ester biosynthesis in our assay system. The unstable 2 isomer of monoglyceride was not tested. It is possible that 1,2-diglyceride and 2-monoglyceride were both acyl donors for spinach leaf steryl ester biosynthesis. Acyl-labeled phosphatidylcholine and acyl-labeled phosphatidylethanolamine were rapidly degraded by acetone powder preparations to 1,2-diglyceride via phosphatidic acid. The 1,2-diglycerides were slowly metabolized to monoglycerides, triglycerides, free fatty acids, and steryl esters. The monoglycerides were rapidly degraded to free fatty acids and glycerol.