Sources of C20-polyunsaturated fatty acids for biotechnological use

SummaryPolyunsaturated fatty acids with 20 carbon atoms exhibit unique physiological activities in the human body, for example lowering of cholesterol and triacylglycerols in plasma, prevention of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases and reduction of colagen-induced thrombocyte aggregation. Moreover, these fatty acids are of great value in the nutrition of edible marine animals reared in mariculture, and as precursors of eicosanoid hormones. Potential sources of such fatty acids include fungi, mainly lower Phycomycetes, microalgae, viz. dinoflagellates, diatoms and unicellular red algae, marine macroalgae, particularly Phaeophyta and Rhodophyta, and mosses. The biomass may be enriched with C20-polyunsaturated fatty acids by chilling, nitrogen starvation, controlled illumination and incubation with lipophilic compounds.