Lipids : classification and types

Lipids : classification and types
By:-
Vivek Kumar
M.Sc Microbiology
Bangalore University

 The word lipid is derived from a Greek word
“lipos” which means Fat.
 Biological lipids are a chemically diverse
group of organic compounds which are
insoluble in water.
 They are soluble in non-polar solvents such
as- ether, chloroform, or benzene.
 Lipids are hydrophobic in nature due to the
predominance of hydrocarbon chains.(-CH2-
CH2-CH2-) in their structures.

 Unlike the proteins, nucleic acids, and
polysaccharides, lipids are not polymer.
 They are the chief storage form of energy, they
provide 6-fold as much energy as an equivalent
mass of glycogen.
 Fat and oils are the principle stored forms of
energy in many organism.
 Lipids participate in oxidative phosphorylation.

 neutral lipids upon hydrolysis yield glycerol
and fatty acids
 Many lipid molecules are amphipathic.
 In aqueous environment lipid molecules
associate by non-covalent interactions to form
supramolecular structures such as monolayers,
micelles, bilayers and vesicles.

Lipids may be regarded as organic substances
relatively insoluble in water, soluble in
organic solvents, potentially related to fatty
acids and utilized by the living cells.

 They serve as a storage form of metabolic
fuel.
(fatty acid, Triacyglycerol).
 they serve as a transport form of metabolic
fuel.(free fatty acid, triglyceride and
cholesterol ester)
 They provide the structural components of
membranes(phospholipids, glycolipids,
galactolipids, sphingolipids)

 they have protective functions in bacteria,
plants, insects, and vertebrates, serving as a
part of the outer coating between the body of
the organism and the environment.
 It serve as pigment(carotene),
hormones(vitamin A & D), signaling
molecules(eicosanoids, phosphatidylinositol,
steroid hormone) cofactors(vitamin E, K and
lipid quinones) detergent(bile salt).

 Derived lipids are the substances derived
from simple and compound lipids by
hydrolysis.
 These includes fatty acids, alcohols,
monoglycerides and diglycerides, steroids,
carotenoids.

 Fatty acids are the simplest form of lipids.
 These are monocarboxylic, straight,
unbranched hydrocarbon chains containing
even number of carbon atoms (betweeen 4-
36)
 Fatty acids are also known as acyl group
when it is a part of ester.
 Fatty acids are amphipathic in nature.
 The fatty acids may be free or esterified
with glycerol to form triglycerides.

 Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds
in the chain or contain single chain.
 Their general formula is CH3-(CH2)n-COOH,
where n specifies the number of methylene
groups between the methyl and carboxyl
carbons.
 They have higher melting points
 They are solid at room temperature.
 Examples- lauric, myristic, palmitic acid etc.

 These fatty acid contain one or more double
bonds along the length of the hydrocarbon chain.
 They are liquid at room temperature.
 Have low melting point.
 The commonly used system for designating the
position of double bond in unsaturated fatty acid
is the delta(∆) numbering system.
 Example- linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitoleic
acid.
 In the naturally occurring unsaturated fatty acid
the double bond are in cis configuration and
trans fatty acid are produced by fermentation in
the rumen of dairy animals and are obtained
from dairy products and meat.

Monounsaturated fatty acid :-
 They contain only one double bond per fatty
acid.
 The double bond is between C-9 and C-10(∆9)

Polyunsaturated fatty acid or PUFAs:-
 They contain two or more double bonds
along the length of the hydrocarbon chains.
 PUFAs are also known as essential fatty acid.
 Examples- linoleic and linolenic acid

 Triacylglycerol(triglycerides/fats/neutral
fats) are triesters of fatty acids and glycerol.
 They are composed of three fatty acids and a
glycerol molecules.
 Triacylglycerols are of two types-
a) Simple- these contains single type of fatty
acids.
b) Mixed- contains two or more different kind
of fatty acid.

 Triacylglycerols are nonpolar, hydrophobic in
nature and a major form of stored lipids.
 These molecules contain fatty acids of
various length and they be saturated or
unsaturated.
 They can be distinguished as fat and oil on
the basis of physical state at room
temperature.

Saponification
:-
Fats when boiled
with alkali(NaOH,
KOH) or
hydrolysis with
alkali forms soap
and are called
saponification.
Rancidity:-
The fats turns
rancid when
exposed to air. it
is unsuitable for
human
consumption.

Esterification:-
Carboxyl group of
fatty acid is
esterified when
reacts with alcohol,
resulting in an ester.
Hydrogenation:-
Double bonds on
unsaturated fatty
acids
Can be oxidised or
hydrogen can be
added to them in
the presence of a
catalyst(nickel,
platinum).

I. Triacylglycerols provide stored energy
II. It also provides insulation.
III. Partial hydrogenation of cooking oils
produces trans Fatty acids.

 A phospholipids is an amphipathic molecule
constructed from four components: fatty
acids, phosphate, alcohol and glycerol or
sphingosine.
 Also called as phosphatides, contains a
phosphorous atom.
 The phospholipids are very important
structural components of all cell membranes
including those of the cell organelles.
 Lecithin may also play an important role in
transport of ion across the membranes.

 Phospholipids are of different kinds but all of
them contain a glyceryl residue to which are
attached in ester linkage two long chain fatty
acid and a phosphorylated component.
 Sometimes phospholipid grouped under ‘polar
lipid’ because they are readily soluble in polar
solvents such as ethanol.
 Phospholipids can be broken down to their
residue by the enzyme phosphatidases which
hydrolyse their fatty acids and phosphoric acid
ester bonds specifically.

 Phosphatidyl choline(lecithin)- this
phospholipid has nitrogen containing choline
in its phosphorylated component.
 Phosphatidyl lethanolamine(cephalin)- the
phosphorylated component contains
ethanolamine.
 Phosphatidyl linositol- this phospholipid
contains hexahydric alcohol called inositol in
its phosphorylated component.

 Phosphatidyl glycerol- this has glycerol in its
phosphorylated component.
 Diphosphatidylglycerol(cardiolipin)- it consist of
two glycerol residues with their usual esterified
fatty acid chains. Both these residues in turn are
linked to a common glycerol molecule which is
phosphorylated on both of its side.

 It is a subgroup of steroids with a hydroxyl
group at the 3- position of the A- ring. And
the hydroxyl group is polar, and rest of the
aliphatic chain is non-polar.
 They are amphipathic lipid synthesized from
acetyl-coenzyme A via the HMG-CoA
reductase pathway.
 The overall molecule is quite flat

 Cholestrol forms part of the cellular
membrane in animals and serve as secondary
messenger in developmental signaling.
 Cortisol act as signaling compound in cellular
communication and general metabolism.
 It is common component of human skin oils.

 Sterols functions as a precursor to fat soluble
vitamins and steroid hormones.
 cholesterol is vital to cell membrane.

 DAVID L NELSON, MICHAEL M. COX. FIFTH
EDITION. LEHNINGER PRINCIPLES OF
BIOCHEMISTRY. PAGE NO-343-370.
 S.C.RASTOGI, 2003, OUTLINES OF
BIOCHEMISTRY. PAGE NO-53-59.

Lipids : classification and types

Lipids : classification and types

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Lipids : classification and types