Comparison of lipids of sea urchin egg ghosts prepared before and after fertilization

Lipids from surface ghosts, prepared from sea urchin eggs before and after fertilization, differ in the relative proportions of neutral and polar lipids. Percents of triglyceride and phosphatidyl serine or inositol increase while percent phosphatidyl choline decrease after fertilization. Fatty acids from GLC of lipid fractions (triglycerides, free fatty acids, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl choline, and phosphatidyl serine or inositol) are characteristic for each fraction, and differ quantitatively in ghosts before and after fertilization. Fatty acids of unfertilized ghost lipids are in general longer chain and more unsaturated than those of the fertilized. Possible effects of these lipid changes on surface characteristics are discussed.