Natural occurrence of boron-containing compounds in plants, algae and microorganisms

Discovery of naturally-occurring boron compounds, all ionophoric polyketide macrodiolide antibiotics with a single boron atom critical for activity, established at least one biochemical role of boron. This review focuses primarily on presence and distribution of boron-containing compounds in vascular plants, marine algal species, and microorganisms. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.