Chemistry:Chrysolaminarin

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Chrysolaminarin
Beta-1,3-1,6-glucan.png
Names
Other names
Chrysolaminaran; Leucosin
Identifiers
ChemSpider
  • none
Properties
variable
Molar mass variable
Melting point 273 °C (523 °F; 546 K)[1]
Soluble
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Infobox references

Chrysolaminarin is a linear polymer of β(1→3) and β(1→6) linked glucose units in a ratio of 11:1.[1][2] It used to be known as leucosin.

Function

Chrysolaminarin is a storage polysaccharide typically found in photosynthetic heterokonts. It is used as a carbohydrate food reserve by phytoplankton such as Bacillariophyta (similar to the use of laminarin by brown algae).[3]

Chrysolaminarin is stored inside the cells of these organisms dissolved in water and encapsuled in vacuoles whose refractive index increases with chrysolaminarin content. In addition, heterokont algae use oil as a storage compound. Besides energy reserve, oil helps the algae to control their buoyancy.[4]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Beattie et al. (1961). "Studies on the metabolism of the Chrysophyceae. Comparative structural investigations on leucosin (chrysolaminarin) separated from diatoms and laminarin from the brown algae". Biochem. J. 79 (3): 531–537. doi:10.1042/bj0790531. PMID 13688276. 
  2. Basic definition of chrysolaminarin, Susquehanna University
  3. Biological use of chrysolaminarin , California State University, Stanislaus
  4. Pulz; Gross (2004). "Valuable products from biotechnology of microalgae". Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 65 (6): 635–48. doi:10.1007/s00253-004-1647-x. PMID 15300417.