title: LC-PUFA from photosynthetic microalgae: occurrence, biosynthesis, and prospects in biotechnology.
abstract: Microalgae offer potential for numerous commercial applications, among them the production of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs). These valuable fatty acids are important for a variety of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical purposes, and the market for these products is continually growing. An appropriate ratio of LC-PUFA of the ω-3 and ω-6 groups is vital for "healthy" nutrition, and adequate dietary intake has strong health benefits in humans. Microalgae of diverse classes are primary natural producers of LC-PUFA. This mini-review presents an introductory overview of LC-PUFA-related health benefits in humans, describes LC-PUFA occurrence in diverse microalgal classes, depicts the major pathways of their biosynthesis in microalgae, and discusses the prospects for microalgal LC-PUFA production.
authors: The French Associates Institute for Dryland Agriculture and Biotechnologies, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 84990, Israel. khozin@bgu.ac.il
authors: Inna
authors: I
authors: Khozin-Goldberg
authors: Umidjon
authors: U
authors: Iskandarov
authors: Zvi
authors: Z
authors: Cohen
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D058086:Microalgae / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated