Chrysolaminarin
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Names | |
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Other names
Chrysolaminaran; Leucosin
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Identifiers | |
9013-94-9 | |
Properties | |
variable | |
Molar mass | variable |
Melting point | 273 °C (523 °F; 546 K)[1] |
Soluble | |
Vapor pressure | {{{value}}} |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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verify (what is ?) | |
Infobox references | |
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. Chrysolaminarin is alongside cellulose arguably one of the most common biopolymers in the world.
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]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Basic definition of chrysolaminarin, Susquehanna University
- ↑ Biological use of chrysolaminarin, California State University, Stanislaus
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.