View source for Chrysolaminarin

{{Chembox
| Verifiedfields = changed
| Watchedfields = changed
| verifiedrevid = 455528848
| ImageFile = Beta-1,3-1,6-glucan.png
| ImageSize = 
| IUPACName = 
| OtherNames = Chrysolaminaran; Leucosin
|Section1={{Chembox Identifiers
| CASNo_Ref = {{cascite|correct|??}}
| CASNo = 9013-94-9
| PubChem = 
| SMILES = 
| ChemSpiderID_Ref = {{chemspidercite|changed|chemspider}}
| ChemSpiderID = none
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|Section2={{Chembox Properties
| Formula = variable
| MolarMass = variable
| Appearance = 
| Density = 
| MeltingPtC = 273
| MeltingPt_ref = <ref name="Beattie"/> 
| BoilingPt = 
| Solubility = Soluble
  }}
|Section3={{Chembox Hazards
| MainHazards = 
| FlashPt = 
| AutoignitionPt = 
 }}
}}

'''Chrysolaminarin''' is a linear [[polymer]] of β(1→3) and β(1→6) [[glycosidic bond|linked]] [[glucose]] units in a ratio of 11:1.<ref name="Beattie">{{cite journal | author = Beattie | title = Studies on the metabolism of the Chrysophyceae. Comparative structural investigations on leucosin (chrysolaminarin) separated from diatoms and laminarin from the brown algae | journal = Biochem. J. | year = 1961 | volume = 79 | pages = 531–537 | pmid = 13688276 | last2 = Hirst | first2 = EL | last3 = Percival | first3 = E | pmc = 1205682 | issue = 3| doi = 10.1042/bj0790531 |display-authors=etal}}</ref><ref>[http://comenius.susqu.edu/biol/202/Protists/terms/chrysolaminarin.htm Basic definition of chrysolaminarin] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304191542/http://comenius.susqu.edu/biol/202/protists/terms/chrysolaminarin.htm |date=2016-03-04 }}, Susquehanna University</ref> 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]]).<ref>[http://arnica.csustan.edu/boty1050/Protista/protista.htm Biological use of chrysolaminarin] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/19980502134046/http://arnica.csustan.edu/boty1050/Protista/protista.htm |date=1998-05-02 }}, California State University, Stanislaus</ref>

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.<ref>{{ cite journal | author=Pulz |author2=Gross | title=Valuable products from biotechnology of microalgae | journal=Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology | year=2004 | pmid=15300417 | doi=10.1007/s00253-004-1647-x | volume=65 | pages=635–48 | issue=6 |s2cid=42079864 }}</ref>

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Polysaccharides]]