Methods in Molecular Biology (2020) 1980: 173–179
DOI 10.1007/7651_2018_202
© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2018
Published online: 28 November 2018
Analytical Grade Purification of Phycocyanin
from Cyanobacteria
Mahammed Ilyas Khazi, Zeliha Demirel, Fakhra Liaqat,
and Meltem Conk Dalay
Abstract
Phycocyanin is a blue-colored pigment-protein complex that exhibits numerous biofunctions such as antiinflammation, antioxidation, antitumor, neuroprotective effect, and immunological enhancement.
Purified phycocyanin has pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. In addition, as a nontoxic and
non-carcinogenic natural coloring agent, phycocyanin has many applications in the food and cosmetic
industries. This chapter describes a protocol for extraction and analytical grade purification of phycocyanin
from cyanobacteria. The purification steps include (1) extraction of phycocyanin from biomass, (2) ammonium sulfate precipitation of phycocyanin and dialysis, and (3) purification of phycocyanin by gel filtration
and ion-exchange chromatography.
Keywords Cyanobacteria, Extraction, Gel filtration chromatography, Ion-exchange chromatography,
Phycocyanin, Purification
1 Introduction
Phycocyanin (PC) is one of the most prominent light-harvesting,
water-soluble, protein-pigment complex that belongs to phycobiliprotein family. PC is an accessory photosynthetic pigment mainly
present in Cyanobacteria, Rhodophyta, and Cryptomonads to
increase the efficiency of photosynthesis by collecting light energy
that is poorly utilized by chlorophyll [1, 2]. The PC has absorption
maximum at 620 nm and a fluorescence emission maximum at
~650 nm [3]. PC is composed of α- and β-subunits (heterodimer)
which contain three linear tetrapyrrole chromophores (phycocyanobilins). Three αβ-units oligomerize as trimers (αβ) 3 which in turn
form hexamers (αβ) 6 . The exact number of α and β pairs may vary
among the species [4].
PC has exhibited antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet,
antitumor, nephroprotective, and hepatoprotective properties
[5]. Because of its bioactivities, PC not only has nutraceuticals
and pharmaceuticals applications but also has obtained wide usage
in the fields of molecular biology, immunology, cytology, and
173
DOI 10.1007/7651_2018_202
© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2018
Published online: 28 November 2018
Analytical Grade Purification of Phycocyanin
from Cyanobacteria
Mahammed Ilyas Khazi, Zeliha Demirel, Fakhra Liaqat,
and Meltem Conk Dalay
Abstract
Phycocyanin is a blue-colored pigment-protein complex that exhibits numerous biofunctions such as antiinflammation, antioxidation, antitumor, neuroprotective effect, and immunological enhancement.
Purified phycocyanin has pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. In addition, as a nontoxic and
non-carcinogenic natural coloring agent, phycocyanin has many applications in the food and cosmetic
industries. This chapter describes a protocol for extraction and analytical grade purification of phycocyanin
from cyanobacteria. The purification steps include (1) extraction of phycocyanin from biomass, (2) ammonium sulfate precipitation of phycocyanin and dialysis, and (3) purification of phycocyanin by gel filtration
and ion-exchange chromatography.
Keywords Cyanobacteria, Extraction, Gel filtration chromatography, Ion-exchange chromatography,
Phycocyanin, Purification
1 Introduction
Phycocyanin (PC) is one of the most prominent light-harvesting,
water-soluble, protein-pigment complex that belongs to phycobiliprotein family. PC is an accessory photosynthetic pigment mainly
present in Cyanobacteria, Rhodophyta, and Cryptomonads to
increase the efficiency of photosynthesis by collecting light energy
that is poorly utilized by chlorophyll [1, 2]. The PC has absorption
maximum at 620 nm and a fluorescence emission maximum at
~650 nm [3]. PC is composed of α- and β-subunits (heterodimer)
which contain three linear tetrapyrrole chromophores (phycocyanobilins). Three αβ-units oligomerize as trimers (αβ) 3 which in turn
form hexamers (αβ) 6 . The exact number of α and β pairs may vary
among the species [4].
PC has exhibited antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet,
antitumor, nephroprotective, and hepatoprotective properties
[5]. Because of its bioactivities, PC not only has nutraceuticals
and pharmaceuticals applications but also has obtained wide usage
in the fields of molecular biology, immunology, cytology, and
173