Very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) were identified in four strains of the green alga Botryococcus braunii (Trebouxiophyceae). The algae contained a series of monoenoic fatty acids up to triacontenoic acid and further VLCFAs in amounts around 1% of total fatty acids. The separation of lipid classes using hydrophilic interaction chromatography revealed that the most abundant VLCFAs (28:2, 28:1 and 28:0) were contained in neutral lipids (triacylglycerols and/or diacylglycerols) and in phospholipids (phosphatidic acid and/or phosphatidylcholine). Using non-aqueous reversed-phase liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (NARP-LC/MS2) of the appropriate collected fractions, molecular species of triacylglycerols containing one or two VLCFAs were described and phosphatidylcholines containing VLCFAs were separated for the first time. Because the presence of Botryosphaerella sudetica (Chlorophyceae) as contaminant of Botryococcus braunii strain Droop 1950/807-1 placed some doubts on the results of previous studies, a strain of this green alga of was also analyzed. In contrast to Botryococcus, C16, a substantially lower proportion of C18 polyunsaturated fatty acids and no VLCFAs were detected in Botryosphaerella.

Charles University Faculty of Science Department of Ecology Viničná 7 128 44 Prague 2 Czech Republic

Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences Dukelská 135 379 82 Třeboň Czech Republic

Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Laboratory of Cell Cycles of Algae Centre Algatech Opatovický mlýn 379 81 Třeboň Czech Republic

Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Vídeňská 1083 142 20 Prague 4 Czech Republic

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