三酰甘油(triacylglycerols,TAGs)是动物、植物、微生物和微藻细胞主要的储藏性脂类,它可应用于食品、轻工业和生物燃料等方面,是一种新型可再生能源——生物柴油生产的重要原料。与高等油料作物相比,微藻具有光合作用效率高、生长速度快、油脂产量高、不占用农业耕地和适应多种生长环境等优势,是一种潜在的新型生物柴油生产原料。然而,目前人们对有机体,尤其是微藻细胞内TAG合成与积累的分子机制及细胞的代谢调控机制还知之甚少。对TAG合成的一系列重要过程,包括脂肪酸的合成,TAG生物合成的主要途径和旁路途径,以及与TAG合成相关的关键酶和重要基因等进行了综述,特别对微藻细胞中与TAG合成相关的关键基因的最新研究进展进行了总结,旨在更好地了解油脂代谢的调控途径,为最大限度地供应生物柴油的生产原料提供理论基础。
Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are the main storage lipids in the cells of animals, plants, microorganisms and microalgae. It could be used as feedstocks for foods, light industrial products and biofuels. Comparing with higher oil crops, microalgae have the advantages of high photosynthetic efficiency, rapid growth rate, high oil yield, broad growth environments and non-arable land for cultivation. Therefore, they are potential resources for biodiesel production. However, the metabolic and regulatory mechanisms of biosynthesis and accumulation process of TAG in organisms are not clear exactly, especially in microalgal cells. This paper summarized the important pathways of the TAG synthesis, including the synthetic route of fatty acid, the major and alternative pathways of TAG biosynthesis, as well as the key enzymes and genes involved in the pathways, especially in the microalgal cells. Thus, it is aimed at better understanding the regulatory mechanism of the TAG metabolism, and providing a theoretical basis for maximal supplies of raw materials for biodiesel production.