Polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish tissues more closely resemble algal than terrestrial diet sources

The River Continuum Concept implies that consumers in headwater streams have greater dietary access to terrestrial basal resources, but recent studies have highlighted the dietary importance of high-quality algae. Algae provide consumers with physiologically important omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). However, terrestrial plants and most benthic stream algae lack the long-chain (LC) n-3 PUFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), which is essential for neural development in fish and other vertebrates. We sampled subalpine streams to investigate how the PUFA composition of neural (brain and eyes), muscle, and liver tissues of freshwater fish is related to their potential diets (macroinvertebrates, epilithon, fresh and conditioned terrestrial leaves). The PUFA composition of consumers was more similar to epilithon than to terrestrial leaves. Storage lipids of eyes most closely resembled dietary PUFA (aquatic invertebrates and algae). However, DHA and arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n-6) were not directly available in the diet but abundant in organs. This implies that algal PUFA were selectively retained or were produced internally via enzymatic PUFA conversion by aquatic consumers. This field study demonstrates the nutritional importance of algal PUFA for neural organs in aquatic consumers of headwater regions.

     

HIGH POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACID LEVELS IN TWO SUBTROPICAL MACROALGAE,CLADOSIPHON OKAMURANUS AND CAULERPA LENTILLIFERA1

The lipid and fatty acid compositions in two edible subtropical algae (the brown alga Cladosiphon okamuranus Tokida and the green alga Caulerpa lentillifera J. Agardh) were determined to clarify their lipid characteristics and nutritional values. Glycolipids and phospholipids were the major lipid classes, with significant levels of triacylglycerols. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were the major fatty acids of both algae. The lipid class composition and major fatty acids were similar in both the algal species, irrespective of wild and cultured specimens. Typical n‐6 PUFA, such as 18:2n‐6 (linoleic acid) and 20:4n‐6 (arachidonic acid), occurred in characteristically high levels in both of the algae. High levels of n‐3 PUFA were measured in all lipid classes of both species without 22:6n‐3 (docosahexaenoic acid), 18:3n‐3, 18:4n‐3, and 20:5n‐3 (eicosapentaenoic acid) for Cl. okamuranus; and 16:3n‐3, 18:3n‐3, and 20:5n‐3 for Ca. lentillifera. The finding suggests that the green algal species, which mainly biosynthesizes short‐chain (C₁₆ and C₁₈) PUFA, differs from that of the brown alga, which is capable of biosynthesizing high 20:5n‐3 levels. The PUFA levels in glycolipids of the two algal species comprised up to 60%, even though they are subtropical marine species. High n‐6 PUFA levels in the algal lipids probably influence the significant levels of n‐6 PUFA in herbivorous fishes, because the n‐6 PUFA levels in marine fish lipids are generally undetectable or negligible.     

Polyunsaturated fatty acids in stream food webs – high dissimilarity among producers and consumers

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Manipulating Fatty Acid Biosynthesis in Microalgae for Biofuel through Protein-Protein Interactions

Microalgae are a promising feedstock for renewable fuels, and algal metabolic engineering can lead to crop improvement, thus accelerating the development of commercially viable biodiesel production from algae biomass. We demonstrate that protein-protein interactions between the fatty acid acyl carrier protein (ACP) and thioesterase (TE) govern fatty acid hydrolysis within the algal chloroplast. Using green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Cr) as a model, a structural simulation of docking CrACP to CrTE identifies a protein-protein recognition surface between the two domains. A virtual screen reveals plant TEs with similar in silico binding to CrACP. Employing an activity-based crosslinking probe designed to selectively trap transient protein-protein interactions between the TE and ACP, we demonstrate in vitro that CrTE must functionally interact with CrACP to release fatty acids, while TEs of vascular plants show no mechanistic crosslinking to CrACP. This is recapitulated in vivo, where overproduction of the endogenous CrTE increased levels of short-chain fatty acids and engineering plant TEs into the C. reinhardtii chloroplast did not alter the fatty acid profile. These findings highlight the critical role of protein-protein interactions in manipulating fatty acid biosynthesis for algae biofuel engineering as illuminated by activity-based probes.     

The importance of high‐quality algal food sources in stream food webs – current status and future perspectives

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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.     

Role of essential fatty acids in trophometabolic interactions in the freshwater ecosystems (a review)

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of omega3 family are of crucial physiological importance for the most animals and they are an essential and deficient component of human nutrition. These compounds are most effectively synthesized by some groups of algae, hence, aquatic ecosystems are considered to be the main source of these PUFA for human nutrition. Factors controlling the content and distribution of omega3 PUFA in freshwater organisms of basic trophic levels and determined PUFA final production in freshwater ecosystems are considered in the review. PUFA biosynthesis is known to be tightly related to basic fatty acid metabolic pathways. Hence, fatty composition and the PUFA content of major freshwater hydrobiont groups, including bacteria, algae, invertebrates and vertebrates, and environmental and population age effects are described. The peculiarities of PUFA transfer between organisms of various trophic levels are discussed. The essential omega3 PUFA is one of the important parameter of food quality of aquatic consumers and they can determine the rate of energy and matter transfer between producers and primary consumers and, as a result, in a whole freshwater food chain. Analysis of PUFA content and its regulation in biomass of various fish populations indicates that freshwater ecosystems are of the same value in respect of PUFA sources as marine ecosystems. Despite the great practical importance, the studies focused on production and whole pools of omega3 PUFA in different freshwater ecosystems are still scarce and need to be continued.     

Timing of blooms,algal food quality and Calanus glacialis reproduction and growth in a changing Arctic

The Arctic bloom consists of two distinct categories of primary producers, ice algae growing within and on the underside of the sea ice, and phytoplankton growing in open waters. Long chain omega‐3 fatty acids, a subgroup of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) produced exclusively by these algae, are essential to all marine organisms for successful reproduction, growth, and development. During an extensive field study in the Arctic shelf seas, we followed the seasonal biomass development of ice algae and phytoplankton and their food quality in terms of their relative PUFA content. The first PUFA‐peak occurred in late April during solid ice cover at the onset of the ice algal bloom, and the second PUFA‐peak occurred in early July just after the ice break‐up at the onset of the phytoplankton bloom. The reproduction and growth of the key Arctic grazer Calanus glacialis perfectly coincided with these two bloom events. Females of C. glacialis utilized the high‐quality ice algal bloom to fuel early maturation and reproduction, whereas the resulting offspring had access to ample high‐quality food during the phytoplankton bloom 2 months later. Reduction in sea ice thickness and coverage area will alter the current primary production regime due to earlier ice break‐up and onset of the phytoplankton bloom. A potential mismatch between the two primary production peaks of high‐quality food and the reproductive cycle of key Arctic grazers may have negative consequences for the entire lipid‐driven Arctic marine ecosystem.     

Biotic invasions can alter nutritional composition of zooplankton communities

Ecologists and ecosystem managers often base their understanding of trophic dynamics on consumer and resource biomass. However, the factors that alter the relative nutritional value of resources are often poorly understood, despite their potential to decouple trophic interactions. Recent population declines in pelagic fishes of the upper San Francisco Estuary were not accompanied by an equivalent decrease in zooplankton biomass, which are the main resource for the fish and their larvae. It was hypothesized that changes in zooplankton nutritional conditions following the establishment of invasive species caused food‐quality related limitations for these higher‐order consumers. Using stable isotopes, elemental stoichiometry and fatty acid analyses for all dominant invasive and native zooplankton taxa and seston, we characterized the plankton community structure in the estuary and demonstrated taxon‐specific differences in their nutritional value. We then quantified the temporal dynamics in meso‐zooplankton proportions of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and ratio of n3:n6 fatty acids. We found temporal increase in the community‐level DHA, n3 to n6 fatty acid ratio, decrease in the community‐level EPA and PUFA in the brackish water region, but no change in the bulk PUFA proportions in the freshwater region of the estuary. These changes were caused mainly by declines of native cladocerans that are rich in EPA and by an increase in the dominance of invasive taxa with high DHA concentrations, similar to that of native taxa. Although we showed temporal shifts in individual fatty acid classes, the proportion of the essential fatty acids remained relatively high, suggesting that nutritional prey availability for fish remained unchanged with the shift in species composition. We argue that the nutritional content of resource communities should be considered when analyzing the long‐term trophic dynamics and designing effective management and restoration strategies.     

Bioprocess engineering of microalgae to optimize lipid production through nutrient management

Microalgae have been used commercially as a feedstock for the production of high-value compounds, pigments, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements. In addition, because of their rapid growth rates, high photosynthetic efficiency, and high lipid and protein content, commodity products including biodiesel, feed supplements, and polyunsaturated fatty acids derived from algal biomass are of current interest. Since microalgae lack non-photosynthetic structures and float in water, they do not need massive amounts of structural cellulose found in land plants. Thus, under optimal culture conditions, some oleaginous species can allocate up to 70 % of their biomass to lipids. Lipid production and its regulation in microalgae are species-specific and influenced by environmental conditions. Various strategies have been developed to improve lipid productivity and fatty acid composition to meet specific production goals. Manipulation of physiochemical parameters, trophic modes, and nutrient levels, known as process engineering, is a simple approach that leads to desired alterations in the biochemical composition of algal biomass, including lipid quantity and quality. In this paper, we review the effects of manipulating biochemical parameters such as necessary nutrients (C, N, P, S, Fe, and Si), NaCl concentration, and pH of culture medium to optimize lipid content and profile in some algae strains with commercial potential.     

Total lipid and fatty acid composition of seaweeds for the selection of species for oil‐based biofuel and bioproducts

We investigated the potential of seaweeds as feedstock for oil‐based products, and our results support macroalgae (seaweeds) as a biomass source for oil‐based bioproducts including biodiesel. Not only do several seaweeds have high total lipid content above 10% dry weight, but in the brown alga Spatoglossum macrodontum 50% of these lipids are in the form of extractable fatty acids. S. macrodontum had the highest fatty acid content (57.40 mg g^?1 dw) and a fatty acid profile rich in saturated fatty acids with a high content of C18:1, which is suitable as a biofuel feedstock. Similarly, the green seaweed Derbesia tenuissima has high levels of fatty acids (39.58 mg g^?1 dw), however, with a high proportion of PUFA (n‐3) (31% of total lipid) which are suitable as nutraceuticals or fish oil replacements. Across all species of algae the critical parameter of fatty acid content (measured as fatty acid methyl esters, FAME) was positively correlated (R² = 0.67) with total lipid content. However, the proportion of fatty acids to total lipid decreased markedly with total lipid content, generally between 30% and 50%, making it an inaccurate measure of the potential to identify seaweeds suitable for oil‐based bioproducts. Finally, we quantified within species variation of fatty acids across locations and sampling periods supporting either environmental effects on quantitative fatty acid profiles, or genotypes with specific quantitative fatty acid profiles, thereby opening the possibility to optimize the fatty acid content and quality for oil production through specific culture conditions and selective breeding.     

Effects of essential fatty acids and N and P-limited algae on the growth rate of tropical cladocerans

SUMMARY 1. In this study, the effects of nutrient (N and P) deficiency and the importance of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) [eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] to tropical cladocerans, growth and reproduction were determined in a growth bioassay.
2. The animals were fed N/P-sufficient, N-deficient and P-deficient algae, and also N and P-deficient algae supplemented with fish oil emulsions rich in EPA and DHA.
3. Cladocerans showed different responses to nutrient-deficient algae and also to supplements of fish oil emulsions. Moina micrura was most sensitive to P-deficient alga and, surprisingly, grew better and produced more eggs in N-deficient alga than in N/P sufficient alga. Ceriodaphnia cornuta was less sensitive, growing well in both N and P-deficient algae. This species, however, had a lower clutch size in N-deficient alga. On the other hand, Daphnia gessneri was the most sensitive to mineral limitation, showing decreased growth and clutch size in both nutrient-deficient algae.
4. The PUFA supplements to nutrient-deficient algae increased growth rates only for M. micrura and C. cornuta , suggesting that these fatty acids are important food requirements for these species.     

The role of highly unsaturated fatty acids in aquatic foodweb processes

1. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are almost exclusively synthesized by plants. Animals can convert from one form of PUFA to another through elongation and desaturation, but very few can synthesize PUFA de novo. PUFA play an important role in regulating cell membrane properties, serve as precursors for important animal hormones and are essential for animals. 2. In aquaculture studies, highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA), a subset of PUFA, have been found to be critical for maintaining high growth, survival and reproductive rates and high food conversion efficiencies for a wide variety of marine and freshwater organisms. 3. The plankton literature suggests high food-quality algae species are rich in HUFA and low food-quality algae are poor in HUFA. Adding semi-pure emulsions of HUFA to algae monocultures can markedly increase the growth rates of zooplankton feeding on these mixtures. 4. A study measuring zooplankton biomass accrual when feeding on natural phytoplankton found a strong correlation between phytoplankton HUFA (specifically eicosapentaenoic acid) content and herbivorous zooplankton production. 5. The aquatic ecology literature suggests that planktonic foodwebs with high HUFA content phytoplankton have high zooplankton to phytoplankton biomass ratios, while systems with low HUFA phytoplankton have low zooplankton biomass. Also, the seasonal succession of plankton in many temperate lakes follows patterns tied to phytoplankton HUFA content, with intense zooplankton grazing and ‘clear-water-phases’ characteristic of periods when the phytoplankton is dominated by HUFA-rich species. 6. Herbivorous zooplankton production is constrained by the zooplankton’s ability to ingest and digest phytoplankton. It is becoming increasingly clear, however, that much of the phytoplankton which is assimilated may be nutritionally inadequate. HUFA may be key nutritional constituents of zooplankton diets, and may determine energetic efficiency across the plant–animal interface, secondary production and the strength of trophic coupling in aquatic pelagic foodwebs.     

Influence of biochemical,mineral and morphological features of natural food on tropical cladocerans

Five laboratory experiments were performed to evaluate the effect of supplements of fatty acids and a green alga on the individual growth and reproduction of three species of tropical cladocerans Ceriodaphnia richardi, Daphnia ambigua, and D. gessneri feeding on natural seston from the Brazilian Lake Monte Alegre. Cohorts of newborns from cultivated females were submitted to one of the following treatments: (1) Natural seston, (2) Natural seston + microcapsules of EPA and DHA or linoleic and linolenic fatty acids, (3) Natural seston + oil-free microcapsules, and (4) Natural seston + green alga Scenedesmus spinosus (1 mg C l⁻¹). Particulate organic carbon, algal carbon, C:P ratios of seston and green alga, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content of seston and cladocerans, as well as phytoplankton composition, size, and shape were measured. The addition of fatty acids to seston did not significantly enhance growth and reproduction of the cladocerans, suggesting that sestonic PUFA content is sufficient for promoting cladoceran development, even in the cool–dry season when the fatty acids used in the experiments were 5–10 times lower in the seston than in the warm–wet season. Despite high C:P molar ratios in most experiments, there was only one indication of growth limitation by P. Reproduction was more affected than individual growth on some occasions by food quantity (energy) caused apparently by algal size, morphology, and digestion resistance. Energy availability, which is affected by algae morphological characteristics, seems to prevail over PUFA and P in controlling growth and reproduction of cladocerans in tropical Lake Monte Alegre.     

Lipids and fatty acids in muscle, liver and skin of three edible fish from the Senegalese coast: Sardinella maderensis, Sardinella aurita and Cephalopholis taeniops

Lipid content and fatty acid composition were determined in three species of edible fish caught in Senegalese waters during the upwelling season (January, 1993). Sardinella maderensis and Sardinella aurita are fat fish containing more than 5% (fresh wt.) of lipids, whereas Cephalopholis taeniops is a lean fish with approximately 1% of lipids. Skin, liver and muscle were studied for each fish species. About 40 fatty acids were identified by GC and GC/MS as methyl esters and N-acyl pyrrolidides. Palmitic acid was the main acid in the muscle and skin of all samples studied (20-33% of total fatty acids). Oleic acid was the main fatty acid in the liver of S. maderensis (27.2%+/-0.1) and S. aurita (44.7%+/-0.1). Arachidonic acid was a minor component in all samples. The flesh (muscle) of the three fish species contained high concentrations of omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), ranging from 16.0 to 29.1% and including 20:5 omega3 (eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA) and 22:6 omega3 (docosahexaenoic acid, DHA) acids as major components. These two acids together accounted for 24.7%+/-0.1 and 12.9%+/-0.1 of total acids in the skin of S. maderensis and S. aurita, respectively. The percentages of PUFA found in the fish studied were very similar to those in fish used commercially as sources of PUFA. Muscle sterols, which accounted for 9-11% of total lipids, consisted mainly of cholesterol (up to 97% of total sterols).     

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and cardiovascular disease: Thematic Review Series: New Lipid and Lipoprotein Targets for the Treatment of Cardiometabolic Diseases

Epidemiological studies on Greenland Inuits in the 1970s and subsequent human studies have established an inverse relationship between the ingestion of omega-3 fatty acids [C_20–22 ω 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)], blood levels of C_20–22 ω 3 PUFA, and mortality associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). C_20–22 ω 3 PUFA have pleiotropic effects on cell function and regulate multiple pathways controlling blood lipids, inflammatory factors, and cellular events in cardiomyocytes and vascular endothelial cells. The hypolipemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-arrhythmic properties of these fatty acids confer cardioprotection. Accordingly, national heart associations and government agencies have recommended increased consumption of fatty fish or ω 3 PUFA supplements to prevent CVD. In addition to fatty fish, sources of ω 3 PUFA are available from plants, algae, and yeast. A key question examined in this review is whether nonfish sources of ω 3 PUFA are as effective as fatty fish-derived C_20–22 ω 3 PUFA at managing risk factors linked to CVD. We focused on ω 3 PUFA metabolism and the capacity of ω 3 PUFA supplements to regulate key cellular events linked to CVD. The outcome of our analysis reveals that nonfish sources of ω 3 PUFA vary in their capacity to regulate blood levels of C_20–22 ω 3 PUFA and CVD risk factors.     

Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (C18:2 omega6 and C18:3 omega3) do not suppress hepatic lipogenesis

Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are promoted as beneficial in the prevention of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. In general, dietary omega 3 fatty acids are derived from plant sources as linolenic acid (LNA, C18:3 omega3) the precursor to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5 omega3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6 omega3). However, it remains unclear if the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) LNA can provide the same health benefits as the very long chain highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) EPA and DHA generally derived from oily fish. In this study, mice were fed synthetic diets containing lard (low in PUFA and HUFA), canola oil (to supply PUFA), or a mixture of menhaden and arasco (fish and fungal) oils (to supply HUFA) for 8 weeks. The diets were neither high in calories nor fat, which was supplied at 6%. The lard and canola oil diets resulted in high levels of hepatic triglycerides and cholesterol and elevation of lipogenic gene expression. By comparison livers from mice fed the fish/fungal oil diet had low levels of lipid accumulation and more closely resembled livers from mice fed standard laboratory chow. SREBP1c and PPARgamma gene and protein expression were high in livers of animals fed diets containing lard or canola oil compared with fish/fungal oil. Hepatic fatty acid analyses indicated that dietary PUFA were efficiently converted to HUFA regardless of source. Therefore, differences in hepatic lipid levels and gene expression between dietary groups were due to exogenous fatty acid supplied rather than endogenous pools. These results have important implications for understanding the regulation of hepatic lipogenesis by dietary fatty acids.     

两种水华藻——球形棕囊藻和铜绿微囊藻的脂肪酸组成特征与水华形成机制

浮游植物所含的不饱和脂肪酸是测定其作为食物质量的指标,并在浮游植物向浮游动物及其它动物能量转化过程中起着关键的作用,必需不饱和脂肪酸的缺乏有利于水华的形成。球形棕囊藻(Phaeocystis globosa)和铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)分别是常见的海洋和淡水水华藻类,该文分析了它们在不同生长期的脂肪酸组成,探讨了这两种藻类的脂肪酸组成特征。球形棕囊藻和铜绿微囊藻的脂肪酸碳链长为14~20个碳原子,脂肪酸种类组成都比较简单,以饱和脂肪酸为主,未检测到二十碳五烯酸(Eicosapentaenoic acid,EPA)和二十二碳六烯酸 (Docosahexaenoic acid,DHA)等动物的必需脂肪酸。球形棕囊藻的总脂肪酸含量在247.294~735.44 μg·g^-1干重之间,在对数期和延滞期含量最高的脂肪酸分别是C14:0和C16:0;而两株铜绿微囊藻的总脂肪酸在1 405.095~6 087.617μg·g^-1干重之间,以C16:0含量最高。两株铜绿微囊藻的脂肪酸含量在对数期和延滞期差异明显(p<0.05),但球形棕囊藻的脂肪酸含量在不同生长期差别不大。由于缺乏必需脂肪酸EPA和DHA,球形棕囊藻和铜绿微囊藻不能为高营养级的生物提供必需的不饱和脂肪酸,不是浮游动物等生物的良好食物。因此球形棕囊藻和铜绿微囊藻作为浮游动物的食物质量较低,浮游动物对它们的捕食压力也较小,可能是这两种藻容易暴发水华的重要原因。     

NITROGEN STARVATION INDUCES THE ACCUMULATION OF ARACHIDONIC ACID IN THE FRESHWATER GREEN ALGA PARIETOCHLORIS INCISA (TREBUXIOPHYCEAE)1

The Chlorophyte Parietochloris incisa comb. nov (Trebuxiophyceae) was found to be the richest plant source of the pharmaceutically valuable long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), arachidonic acid (20:4ω6, AA). Over 90% of total AA are deposited in triacylglycerols (TAG). Under nitrogen starvation, the fatty acid content constituted over 35% of dry weight and the proportion of AA exceeded 60% of total fatty acids. Consequently, we obtained an AA content of over 20%. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the highest reported content of any PUFA in algae. Increasing the biomass concentration resulted in an enhancement of both the proportion of AA and the fatty acid content. We hypothesize that one of the roles of TAG in P. incisa is to serve as a reservoir of AA that can be used for the construction of membranal lipids.     

Biodiesel and poly‐unsaturated fatty acids production from algae and crop plants – a rapid and comprehensive workflow for lipid analysis

Fatty acid methyl ester analysis (FAME) by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) is a widely used technique in biodiesel/bioproduct (e.g. poly‐unsaturated fatty acids, PUFA) research but typically does not allow distinguishing between bound and free fatty acids. To understand and optimize biosynthetic pathways, however, the origin of the fatty acid is an important information. Furthermore the annotation of PUFAs is compromised in classical GC‐EI‐MS because the precursor molecular ion is missing. In the present protocol an alkaline methyl esterification step with TMS derivatization enabling the simultaneous analysis of bound and free fatty acids but also further lipids such as sterols in one GC‐MS chromatogram is combined. This protocol is applied to different lipid extracts from single cell algae to higher plants: Chlorella vulgaris, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Coffea arabica, Pisum sativum and Cuscuta japonica. Further, field ionization (GC‐FI‐MS) is introduced for a better annotation of fatty acids and exact determination of the number of double bonds in PUFAs. The proposed workflow provides a convenient strategy to analyze algae and other plant crop systems with respect to their capacity for third generation biodiesel and high‐quality bioproducts for nutrition such as PUFAs.