The production of lipids alternately labelled with carbon-13

Chlorella cells were shown to have similar fatty acid profiles when grown photoautotrophically or if grown photoheterotrophically with ethanoate (acetate) as carbon source. When supplied with ethanoate labelled with carbon-13 in the methyl group, the alga incorporated it into fatty acids with retention of the sequence of labelling on alternate carbon atoms, thus providing a convenient method for synthesising lipids in a form useful for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of lipids in situ in membranes. Marine algae used in fish farming may have higher levels of very highly unsaturated fatty acids; proposals for producing these compounds labelled with carbon-13 are, therefore, presented, based on using centrally labelled glycerol. The scope for producing other substances labelled in a form suitable for NMR studies, such as carotenoids, is discussed.