title: Detection of flavonoids in microalgae from different evolutionary lineages.
abstract: Flavonoids are important secondary plant metabolites believed to be present mainly in land plants. As phenolics were detected previously in microalgae using photometric assays, we wanted to investigate the nature of these phenolics and verify whether flavonoids are present. Therefore, in this study, we used state-of-the-art ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-two-dimensional mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) technology to investigate whether microalgae also contain flavonoids. For this, representative microalgal biomass samples from divergent evolutionary lineages (Cyanobacteria, Rhodophyta, Chlorophyta, Haptophyta, Ochrophyta) were screened for a set of carefully selected precursors, intermediates, and end products of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. Our data unequivocally showed that microalgae contain a wide range of flavonoids and thus must possess the enzyme pool required for their biosynthesis. Further, some of the microalgae displayed an intricate flavonoid pattern that is compatible with the established basic flavonoid pathway as observed in higher plants. This implies that the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway arose much earlier in evolution compared to what is generally accepted.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering Technology, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S), Cluster for Bioengineering Technology (CBeT), Laboratory of Enzyme, Fermentation and Brewing Technology (EFBT), KAHO Sint-Lieven, KU Leuven, Gebroeders De Smetstraat 1, Gent, 9000, Belgium.|Research Unit Aquatic Biology, KU Leuven Kulak, Etienne Sabbelaan 53, Kortrijk, 8500, Belgium.
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goiris
authors.affiliation: Research Unit Aquatic Biology, KU Leuven Kulak, Etienne Sabbelaan 53, Kortrijk, 8500, Belgium.
authors.forename: Koenraad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muylaert
authors.affiliation: Separation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, Mol, 2400, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Voorspoels
authors.affiliation: Separation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, Mol, 2400, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Noten
authors.affiliation: Separation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, Mol, 2400, Belgium.|Technology and Food Science Unit (T&V), Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Burgemeester Van Gansberghelaan 115, Merelbeke, 9820, Belgium.
authors.forename: Domien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Paepe
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Genetics and Genomics, Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics (CMPG) and Leuven Institute for Beer Research (LIBR), VIB Laboratory for Systems Biology, KU Leuven, Gaston Geenslaan 1, Leuven, 3001, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gino J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: E Baart
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering Technology, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S), Cluster for Bioengineering Technology (CBeT), Laboratory of Enzyme, Fermentation and Brewing Technology (EFBT), KAHO Sint-Lieven, KU Leuven, Gebroeders De Smetstraat 1, Gent, 9000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Cooman
keywords: UHPLC-MS/MS; flavonoid biosynthesis; metabolic screening; microalgae