Abstract
A novel phospholipid containing arsenic was formed by all marine algae cultured in [74As]arsenate. Components of the labeled algal extracts readily separated by two-dimensional paper radiochromatography. Base-catalyzed deacylation of the major lipid yielded a phosphodiester identical to one of the two major water-soluble compounds. Acid or enzymic hydrolysis of the phosphodiester produced a product identified as trimethylarsoniumalactic acid. The structure of the phospholipid therefore is O-phosphatidyltrimethylarsoniumlactic acid. Detoxication of arsenate by marine algae leads to accumulation of the arsoniumphospholipid as a major reservoir for arsenic. Its degradation to trimethylarsoniumbetaine, dimethylarsinic acid, methanearsonic acid, and arsenate in marine food chains and its metabolism in human beings are of considerable interest.
Keywords: arsenolipid, phosphatidyltrimethylarsoniumlactic acid, trimethylarsoniumlactic acid, arsenobetaine
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