Do Cyanobacterial Lipids Contain Fatty Acids Longer Than 18 Carbon Atoms? (original) (raw)

Fa-lty acids of twe.lve. species of cyanob.acteria grown under different photoautotrophic conditions were studied and their composition was compared with literature data of-uny other species. We have come to the conclusion that the iiplOs of cyanobacteria do not con'tain fattyacids with a chain. _longer than 18 carbon atoms. In oui opinion, omission of an analyticai procedure, i.e. purification.of fatty acid methyl esters before gas chromatography, leads to incorrect interpretation of the results. Absence or presence oflatty acids wis iuggested as a useful taxonomic marker and a proper diagnostic indicator in the commerciil application of cyanobacterial biomass.