Abstract
Cerebrosides from leaves of three grapevine species were analyzed in detail. The relative proportions of 8-E/Z isomers of 4-hydroxy-8-sphingenines [i.e. t18:1(8E) and (8Z)] differed amongst the species in respect to freezing tolerance. This suggests that the occurrence of high levels of t18:1(8Z) in cerebrosides is correlated with freezing tolerance in these species.