Chrysolaminarin Explained

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]

Notes and References

1. Beattie . Studies on the metabolism of the Chrysophyceae. Comparative structural investigations on leucosin (chrysolaminarin) separated from diatoms and laminarin from the brown algae . Biochem. J. . 1961 . 79 . 531–537 . 13688276 . Hirst . EL . Percival . E . 1205682 . 3. 10.1042/bj0790531 . etal.
2. http://comenius.susqu.edu/biol/202/Protists/terms/chrysolaminarin.htm Basic definition of chrysolaminarin
3. http://arnica.csustan.edu/boty1050/Protista/protista.htm Biological use of chrysolaminarin
4. Pulz . Gross . Valuable products from biotechnology of microalgae . Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology . 2004 . 15300417 . 10.1007/s00253-004-1647-x . 65 . 635–48 . 6 . 42079864 .