Gammacerane is a pentacyclic
triterpene compound with the formula
C30H52 and five six-membered rings. Its derivatives include
tetrahymanol
Tetrahymanol is a gammacerane-type membrane lipid first found in the marine ciliate ''Tetrahymena, Tetrahymena pyriformis''. It was later found in other ciliates, Fungus, fungi, ferns, and bacteria. After diagenesis, being deposited in sediments t ...
（Gammaceran-3β-ol）and so on. After millions of years of
diagenesis, these derivatives became gammacerane can be used as
biomarkers in
petroleum
Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crud ...
to study the origin of petroleum.
See also
*
*
Hopane and
References
Triterpenes
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