The following points highlight the four main groups of lipids. The groups are: 1. Triglycerides 2. Phospholipids (Membrane Lipids) 3. Steroids 4. Wax. Lipids: Group # 1. Triglycerides: One important group of stored lipids is triglycerides, a category that includes fats and oils. Triglycerides are composed of a single molecule of glycerol bound to three fatty acids (Fig. 7.1). Glycerol [...]
In this article we will discuss about fats and their distribution in plants. Introduction to Fats: Fats or glycerides or acylglycerols are esters of high molecular weight fatty acids and trihydroxy alcohol, the glycerol. Most of the glycerides in nature have all three hydroxyl groups of glycerol esterified with fatty acids and are called as triglycerides (or 'fats'). For example, [...]
The following article will guide you about how the fats are synthesized in plants. (1) Synthesis of Glycerol: There may be different methods of the formation of glycerol in plants, but one of the very common methods is from dihydroxy acetone phosphate which is an intermediate of glycolysis. Dihydroxyacetone phosphate is first reduced to α-glycerophosphate by the enzyme glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. [...]