A comparative study of phycobilliprotein production in two strains of Pseudanabaena isolated from Arctic and tropical regions in relation to different light wavelengths and photoperiods
Phycobiliproteins, which include phycocyanin, allophycocyanin and phycoerythrin, are the group of coloured
accessory photosynthetic pigments present in cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Pseudanabaena is a genus of
microscopic cyanobacteria, cosmopolitan in distribution and known to be rich in phycoerythrins. Cyanobacteria
are photosynthetic organisms, thus, one of the factors that influences their metabolism is the quality and
quantity of incident light. In order to determine the production of phycobiliproteins (mainly phycocyanin and
phycoerythrin) in this genus, the quantity of these pigments was investigated in two different strains of
Pseudanabaena, P. catenata USMAC16 isolated from an Arctic location (Svalbard) and P. amphigranulata
USMAC18 from a tropical location (Tasik Harapan, USM, Malaysia). The aims of this study were twofold. First,
to determine the influence of different light wavelengths (white, green and red) and exposure duration (photoperiod
of 12–24 h (h)) on phycocyanin and phycoerythrin production in the two strains. Second, to compare
the production of phycobiliprotein between the two strains. Highest phycocyanin production was obtained
under red light, while phycoerythrin production was highest under green light. Highest production was achieved
with photoperiod 24:00 h L:D (L: light, D: dark) in the polar strain and 12:12 h L: D in the tropical strain. P.
catenata (Arctic strain) was a good producer of phycoerythrin when grown under green light.
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Published
Author(s):
Authors: Khan, Zoya, Wan Maznah, W.O., Faradina Merican, M.S.M., Convey, Peter ORCID record for Peter Convey, Najimudin, Nazalan, Alias, Siti Aisyah