Application Notes:
This cyclopropanoid fatty acid is a major constituent of some seed oils and also occurs in some bacterial membranes but is
not synthesized or used by humans.1 Dihydrosterculic acid is a major constituent of the phospholipids of many
trypanosomatid flagellates including some pathogenic species. 10-thiastearic acid has been found to be a potent inhibitor of
dihydrosterculic acid synthesis and has been used as a therapeutic drug against these organisms.2 The enzyme Sadenosylmethionine
donates a methylene group to oleic acid in the sn-1 position of phosphatidylethanolamine to form
dihydrosterculic acid. Dihydrosterculic acid is further desaturated to sterculic acid by cyclopropane desaturase.
References:
1. G. Knothe “NMR Characterization of Dihydrosterculic Acid and Its Methyl Ester” Lipids, Vol. 41(4) pp. 393-396, 2006
2. R. Pascal, Jr, S. Mannarelli, D. Ziering “10-Thiastearic acid inhibits both dihydrosterculic acid biosynthesis and growth of the protozoan Crithidia
fasciculate” The Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol. 261 pp. 12441-12443, 1986