This book summarizes recent advances in understanding the functions of plant and algal lipids in photosynthesis, in development and signaling, and in industrial applications. As readers will discover, biochemistry, enzymology and analytical chemistry, as well as gene knock-out studies have all contributed to our rapidly increasing understanding of the functions of lipids. In the past few decades, distinct physical and biochemical properties of specific lipid classes were revealed in plant and algal lipids and the functional aspects of lipids in modulating critical biological processes have been uncovered.

These chapters from international authors across relevant research fields highlight the underlying evolutionary context of lipid function in photosynthetic unicellular and multicellular organisms. The book goes on to encompass what lipids can do for industrial applications at a time of fascination with plants and algae in carbon fixation and as sources for production of food, energy and novel chemicals. The developmental context is a part of the fresh and engaging perspective that is presented in this work which graduate students and scientists will find both illuminating and useful.

Overviews the functions of plant and algal lipids in photosynthesis Highlights the underlying evolutionary context of lipid function in photosynthetic unicellular and multicellular organisms Considers industrial applications for the very latest knowledge of what lipids can do

Inhalt
Lipids: from chemical structures, biosynthesis, and analyses to industrial applications.- Role of lipids in photosynthesis.- DGDG and glycolipids in plants and algae.- Galactolipids for the thylakoid development in cyanobacteria.- Role of lipids in chloroplast biogenesis.- Role of MGDG and non-bilayer lipid phases in the structure and dynamics of chloroplast thylakoid membranes.- Chemical genetics in dissecting membrane glycerolipid functions.- Triacylglycerol accumulation under abiotic stress in plants and algae.- Cellular organization of triacylglycerol biosynthesis in microalgae.- High-Throughput Genetics strategies for identifying new components of lipid metabolism in the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.- Plant Sphingolipid Metabolism and Function.- Plant surface lipids and epidermis development.- Role of lipids in plant pollen development.- Long-distance lipid signaling and its role in plant development and stress response.- Acyl-CoA binding proteins (ACBPs) in plant development.- The rise and fall of jasmonate biological activities.- Green leaf volatiles in plant signaling and response.- Omics of Chlamydomonas for biofuel production.- Microalgae as a source for PUFA production.- Understanding and engineering of the primary metabolism of cyanobacteria for bioproduction. <p