Which of the following molecules contain sphingosine? Select all that apply.
Concepts and reason
The concept used to solve the given problem is based on the knowledge of sphingosines or sphingomyelins.
Fundamentals
Sphingomyelins are the sphingolipids found in the cell membrane and myelin sheath of nerve cells. It is composed of sphingosine molecule, a fatty acid and the phosphorylcholine which combines together with the chemical bond to form the sphingomyelin.
Answer:
The structure of molecule B does not contain sphingosine.
Similarly, phosphatidylcholine does not contain sphingosine.
Explanation:
Phosphatidylcholine is a type of phospholipids which contains choline as a head group. Thus, it does not contain sphingosine.
Sphingosine are generally consisting of 18 carbon chain with amino alcohol group attached to an unsaturated hydrocarbon chain.
Sphingosine consists of the ammonium group as the end group which attack on the carbonyl carbon of the fatty acid to form amide derivative of sphingosine.
The reaction of sphingosine with the fatty acid is as follows:
Explanation:
As the ammonium group present at the end of the sphingosine acts as a nucleophile attack on the carbonyl carbon of the fatty acids which results in the formation of the amide and the hydroxyl group OH leaves from the carbonyl group. This reaction of sphingosine and fatty acids undergo nucleophilic substitution reaction.
The phosphoryl choline which have the active phosphate group attack on the terminal oxygen atom of the sphingosine derivative. This attack of the phosphate group forms the phosphoester bond which forms sphingomyelins with the release of water as by product.
The reaction of phosphoryl choline and sphingosine derivative are as follows:
Explanation:
As there is the presence of amide and phosphoryl choline group in the given options which confirms the presence of sphingosine as it has 18 carbons of the unsaturated chain with alcohol and the amide group.