Chrysolaminarin

Chrysolaminarin is a linear polymer of β(1→3) and β(1→6) linked glucose units in a ratio of 11:1.^[1][2] It used to be known as leucosin.

Chrysolaminarin

Names
Other names Chrysolaminaran; Leucosin
Identifiers
CAS Number	9013-94-9 Y
ChemSpider	none
Properties
Chemical formula	variable
Molar mass	variable
Melting point	273 °C (523 °F; 546 K)[1]
Solubility in water	Soluble
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). N verify (what is YN ?) Infobox references

Function

Chrysolaminarin is a storage polysaccharide typically found in photosynthetic heterokonts. It is used as a carbohydrate food reserve by phytoplankton such as Bacillariophyta (similar to the use of laminarin by brown algae).^[3]

Chrysolaminarin is stored inside the cells of these organisms dissolved in water and encapsuled in vacuoles whose refractive index increases with chrysolaminarin content. In addition, heterokont algae use oil as a storage compound. Besides energy reserve, oil helps the algae to control their buoyancy.^[4]

Chrysolaminarin is also the major storage polysaccharide of most haptophyte algae.^[5][6]