title: Botryococcus braunii: a rich source for hydrocarbons and related ether lipids.
abstract: This paper presents a review on Botryococcus braunii, a cosmopolitan green colonial microalga characterised by a considerable production of lipids, notably hydrocarbons. Strains like wild populations of this alga differ in the type of hydrocarbons they synthesise and accumulate: (1) n-alkadienes and trienes, (2) triterpenoid botryococcenes and methylated squalenes, or (3) a tetraterpenoid, lycopadiene. In addition to hydrocarbons and some classic lipids, these algae produce numerous series of characteristic ether lipids closely related to hydrocarbons. This review covers the algal biodiversity, the chemical structures and biosynthesis of hydrocarbons and ether lipids and the biotechnological studies related to hydrocarbon production.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Chimie Bioorganique et Organique Physique, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris, 11 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75231 cedex 05 Paris, France. pierre-metzger@enscp.jussieu.fr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Metzger
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Largeau
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D006838:Hydrocarbons; D008055:Lipids