2000 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Hydrocarbon synthesis in a green alga, Botryococcus braunii.
| Project/Area Number |
11640664
|
|---|
| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
|
| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
|---|
| Section | 一般 |
|---|
| Research Field |
生物形態・構造
|
|---|
| Research Institution | Nara Women's University |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
NOGUCHI Tetuko Nara Women's University, Faculty of Science, Prof., 理学部, 教授 (00135823)
|
|---|
| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KAGIWADA Satoshi Nara Women's University, Faculty of Science, Associate Prof., 理学部, 助教授 (40281662)
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
1999 – 2000
|
| Keywords | Botryococcus braunii / hydrocarbon synthesis / trans-Golgi network |
|---|
| Research Abstract |
The green alga Botryococcus. braunii produce unusually high levels of hydrocarbons, 15-75% of the cell dry weight It makes B.braunii as excellent candidate for a renewable source of liquid hydrocarbon fuel as a "solar oil". In this study, the mechanism of hydrocarbon synthesis was studied cytologically. The structure of hydrocarbons was examined by gas chromatography mass spectrometer. They were straight odd number_7 C_<29> (35%) and C_<31> (26%) chains with two double bonds. The stage of hydrocarbon synthesis during the cell cycle was determined by the incorporation of [1-^<14>C] acetate into hydrocarbons and the observations on ultrastructures of cell organelle by the cryo-freezing/freeze-substitution for electron microscopy. The results showed that the hydrocarbon synthesis occurred just after cell division but before cell wall formation. When the hydrocarbon synthesis occurs, the trans-Golgi networks produced special very large vesicles that contained fine fibrils and several masses of electron-dense substance. Cytochalasin B treatment results the appearance of hydrocarbon droplets outside the plasma membrane of cells just after cell division, which showed that the hydrocarbon synthesis occurs on the plasma membrane.
|
