Phospholipid degradation in membranes of isolated soybean lipid bodies

Membrane degradation was observed in lipod bodies isolated from soybean seeds and incubated at 30°C for 6‐ and 18‐day periods. Three events occurred during degradation. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidyle‐thanolamine (PE) were converted to phosphatidic acid presumably by phospholipase D, but PE decreased even in the absence of phospholipase D enzymic activity. A substance that cochromatographed with cardiolipin appeared as a product after 18 days incubation.