Steroidal Saponins are not Main Building Units of the Prolamellar Body in Etioplasts

摘要

Sugar-containing lipids were analyzed by thin layer chromatography in various cell fractions of etiolatedAoenaleaves,Auenaintact etioplasts and prolamellar bodies isolated fromCucurbitaetioplasts. We confirmed the presence of steroidal saponins, avenacosides A and B in etiolated leaves and crude etioplast fraction ofAvena, but scarcely detected them inAvenaintact etioplasts purified by Percoll density gradient centrifugation. Saponins were hardly detected in the paracrystalline prolamellar bodies fromCucurbitaetioplasts. We concluded that steroidal saponins are not main building units of the prolamellar body in the etioplasts.