Biosynthesis of agar in red seaweeds: a review
Agar is a jelly-like biopolymer synthesized by many red seaweeds as their major cell wall component. Due to its excellent rheological properties, it has been exploited commercially for applications in food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, biomedical and biotechnology industries. Despite its multiple uses,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2017
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| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/61009/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/61009/1/Biosynthesis%20of%20agar%20in%20red%20seaweeds%20a%20review.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848854319355396096 |
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| author | Lee, Wei Kang Lim, Yi Yi Leow, Adam Thean Chor Abdullah, Janna Ong Namasivayam, Parameswari Ho, Chai Ling |
| author_facet | Lee, Wei Kang Lim, Yi Yi Leow, Adam Thean Chor Abdullah, Janna Ong Namasivayam, Parameswari Ho, Chai Ling |
| author_sort | Lee, Wei Kang |
| building | UPM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Agar is a jelly-like biopolymer synthesized by many red seaweeds as their major cell wall component. Due to its excellent rheological properties, it has been exploited commercially for applications in food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, biomedical and biotechnology industries. Despite its multiple uses, the biosynthesis of this phycocolloid is not fully understood. The current knowledge on agar biosynthesis is inferred from plant biochemistry and putative pathways for ulvan and alginate biosynthesis in green and brown seaweeds, respectively. In this review, the gaps in our current knowledge on agar biosynthetic pathway are discussed, focusing on the biosynthesis of agar precursors, elongation of agar polysaccharide chain and side chain modification. The development of molecular markers for the screening of desired seaweeds for industrial exploitation is also discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T11:07:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | upm-61009 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T11:07:59Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | upm-610092019-10-22T01:25:13Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/61009/ Biosynthesis of agar in red seaweeds: a review Lee, Wei Kang Lim, Yi Yi Leow, Adam Thean Chor Abdullah, Janna Ong Namasivayam, Parameswari Ho, Chai Ling Agar is a jelly-like biopolymer synthesized by many red seaweeds as their major cell wall component. Due to its excellent rheological properties, it has been exploited commercially for applications in food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, biomedical and biotechnology industries. Despite its multiple uses, the biosynthesis of this phycocolloid is not fully understood. The current knowledge on agar biosynthesis is inferred from plant biochemistry and putative pathways for ulvan and alginate biosynthesis in green and brown seaweeds, respectively. In this review, the gaps in our current knowledge on agar biosynthetic pathway are discussed, focusing on the biosynthesis of agar precursors, elongation of agar polysaccharide chain and side chain modification. The development of molecular markers for the screening of desired seaweeds for industrial exploitation is also discussed. Elsevier 2017 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/61009/1/Biosynthesis%20of%20agar%20in%20red%20seaweeds%20a%20review.pdf Lee, Wei Kang and Lim, Yi Yi and Leow, Adam Thean Chor and Abdullah, Janna Ong and Namasivayam, Parameswari and Ho, Chai Ling (2017) Biosynthesis of agar in red seaweeds: a review. Carbohydrate Polymers, 164. pp. 23-30. ISSN 0144-8617; ESSN: 1879-1344 https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S0144861717300899?token=600379DF532589585D89E37502EE0D0784C2CA87C046CEB4479B5D31517313298978004B5466985274C1A722A08180CC 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.01.078 |
| spellingShingle | Lee, Wei Kang Lim, Yi Yi Leow, Adam Thean Chor Abdullah, Janna Ong Namasivayam, Parameswari Ho, Chai Ling Biosynthesis of agar in red seaweeds: a review |
| title | Biosynthesis of agar in red seaweeds: a review |
| title_full | Biosynthesis of agar in red seaweeds: a review |
| title_fullStr | Biosynthesis of agar in red seaweeds: a review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biosynthesis of agar in red seaweeds: a review |
| title_short | Biosynthesis of agar in red seaweeds: a review |
| title_sort | biosynthesis of agar in red seaweeds: a review |
| url | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/61009/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/61009/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/61009/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/61009/1/Biosynthesis%20of%20agar%20in%20red%20seaweeds%20a%20review.pdf |