web.pdx.edu/~rueterj/algae/lecture_notes/biochemical_components.htm
A crude estimate of the major biochemical components found in algae would be:
| COMPONENT | % OF TOTAL CELL |
| lipid | 20 |
| carbohydrate | 20 |
| protein | 50 |
| nucleic acids | 05 |
| chlorophyll | <05 |
In this course we will examine the cell by the activity and relative amount of six functional components.
Breakdown by functional component for a cyanobacterial cell:
| abbrev. | % of total cell | Functional Component (% of total cell) | biochemical composition |
| S | 20% | Stucture, cell wall, cell membrane, nucleus and DNA |
lipopolysacc = 2% |
| Pmemb & Penz | 35% | Photosynthetic membranes and Calvin cycle enzymes | about 4 or 5 layers of lipid membranes = 15% proteins in membrane = 15% soluble proteins (enzymes) = 5% |
| Enz | 40% | Enzymatic and biosynthetic machinery necessary for respiration and growth | RNA in ribosomes = 20% soluble proteins = 20% |
| Nassim | several % at most | nutrient assimilation | transmembrane proteins for transport intracellular enzymes in the assimilation pathways |
| Res | 5% | nutrient or energy reserves, storage |
glycogen for energy and CO2 metabolism |
Below is a partial list of the biochemical components in an algal cell.