Extraction and Quantification of Alkanes in Cyanobacteria

Abstract

Many species of cyanobacteria accumulate alkanes in their cells. It has been reported that these cyanobacteria accumulate mainly 15 long carbon chain alkane, pentadecane (C15H32), or/and 17 long chain alkane, heptadecane (C17H36). Here we describe a protocol of our laboratory for extraction and quantification of cyanobacterial intracellular pentadecane and heptadecane. We have confirmed this protocol was applicable to at least three kinds of cyanobacteria, nitrogen-fixing filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC7120, non-diazotrophic unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942 and halotolerant unicellular cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica.