Factors Regulating Phycobiliprotein Production in Cyanobacteria
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Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(5): 764-771 ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 3 Number 5 (2014) pp. 764-771 http://www.ijcmas.com Original Research Article Factors regulating phycobiliprotein production in cyanobacteria S.S.Maurya1, J.N. Maurya2 and V.D. Pandey3* 1Department of Botany, Government Degree College, Talwadi, Uttarakhand, India 2Department of Plant Sciences, M.J.P. Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India 3Department of Botany, Government Post-Graduate College, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India *Corresponding author email: A B S T R A C T Cyanobacteria (Blue- green algae) are a morphologically diverse and widely distributed group of prokaryotic organisms which show plant-type oxygenic photosynthesis. Cyanobacterial phycobiliproteins are water-soluble florescent K e y w o r d s accessory photosynthetic pigments which include phycocyanin, allophycocyanin and phycoerythrin. The commercial or biotechnological applications of Cyanobacteria, phycobiliproteins in food and cosmetic industries as well as in nutraceuticals and Phyco- pharmaceuticals are known. Different factors regulating phycobiliprotein biliproteins, production in coccoid (Synechocystis sp. and Gloeocapsa sp.) and filamentous Phycocyanin, (Anabaena sp. and Lyngbya sp.) cyanobacteria, isolated from high altitude Allo- freshwater and terrestrial habitats, were investigated. The study revealed that the phycocyanin, content of phycobiliprotein varied with factors like pH, temperature, light intensity Phycoerythrin and light-dark period in the cyanobacteria investigated. Maximum level of phycobiliprotein was recorded at pH 8, temperature 35 oC, light intensity 2000 lux and light-dark period 16:08 h. The results indicate that the production of phycobiliproteins in cyanobacteria can be optimized by regulating these factors. Introduction Cyanobacteria (Blue-green algae), are an (branched or unbranched) with or without ancient, diverse and highly adaptable heterocysts, the thick-walled differentiated group of photosynthetic prokaryotes, cells carrying nitrogen fixation. In addition exhibiting oxygenic photosynthesis to the applications of cyanobacteria in (Stanier and Cohen-Bazire, 1977). They agriculture, nutraceuticals, bioenergy and inhabit a wide range of terrestrial and bioremediation (Abed et al., 2009; aquatic habitats, including those with Patterson, 1996), they have received extreme conditions (Tandeau de Marsac considerable attention as a rich source of and Houmard 1993; Ward and phycobiliproteins. Phycobiliproteins are Castemholz, 2000; Oren, 2000). Their water-soluble accessory photosynthetic morphology vary from simple unicellular pigments found in cyanobacteria, red algae and colonial to complex filamentous forms a n d cryptomonads (Rowan, 1989). They 764 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(5): 764-771 include blue colored phycocyanin, bluish- intensity, photoperiod and pH on green colored allophycocyanin and red phycobiliprotein content in cyanobacteria colored phycoerythrin, showing maximum has been provoked by the requirement of absorbance at wavelengths 620nm, 650nm optimization of culture or growth and 565 nm, respectively (Grossman et al., conditions for yield maximization of 1993). They assemble to form phycobiliproteins. Knowledge of supramolecular complexes, called individual factor would be helpful in phycobilisomes (PBS), located on outer producing both cyanobacterial biomass surface of thylakoid membranes (Cohen- and phycobiliproteins in desired quantity. Bazire and Bryant, 1982). The present study was undertaken to Phycobiliproteins may comprise up to investigate the factors regulating 40% of total soluble protein content in phycobiliprotein production in selected cyanobacteria. cyanobacteria isolated from high altitude freshwater and terrestrial habitats. Phycobiliproteins are regarded as non- toxic and non-carcinogenic natural food Materials and Methods colorants alternative to the widely used synthetic food colorants/additives having Sampling and identification potential toxicity and carcinogenicity (Cohen, 1986; Mille-Claire et al., 1993; Cyanobacteria, both coccoid Chaneva et al., 2007). They are known to (Synechocystis sp. and Gloeocapsa sp.) possess certain pharmacologically and filamentous (Anabaena sp. and important activities, such as antioxidative, Lyngbya sp.), employed in the present neuroprotective, anticancerous, anti- study were isolated from high altitude inflammatory and hepatoprotective freshwater and terrestrial habitats located (Rimbau et al., 1999; Liu et al., 2000; in Uttarakhand, India according to the Romay et al., 2003). Moreover, they have guidelines of Rippka (1988). Clonal and applications in cosmetics, biomedical axenic cultures of cyanobacteria were research and clinical diagnostics established by repeated sub-culturing and (Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, 1985; antibiotic (cyclohexamide, streptomycin Kronick, 1986; Araoz et al., 1998). The sulphate) treatment at standardized dose potential use of various cyanobacterial following standard methods (Rippka, species for commercial production of 1988). Cyanobacteria were identified on phycobiliproteins have been reported by the basis of morphological characteristics many workers (Takano et al., 1995; Chen (nature, shape and dimensions of cells, et al., 1996; Chaneva et al., 2007). colonies and filaments; presence/absence Factors like light, temperature, pH and and position of heterocysts and akinetes; nutrient availability are known to shape of intercalary and end cells; influence the amount of various presence/absence and pattern of sheath) phycobiliproteins in cyanobacteria using standard literature (Desikachary, (Takano et al., 1995; Chaneva et al., 2007; 1959; Rippka, 1979). Grossman et al., 1994; Simeunovic et al., 2013; Hemlata and Fatma, 2009). The Growth and culture conditions necessity of detailed investigation of the effects of environmental factors or growth Cyanobacteria were grown in sterilized conditions, such as temperature, light BG-11 culture medium (Rippka et al.,1979) in cotton-stoppered 250-mL 765 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(5): 764-771 Erlenmeyer flasks at 26±2oC and under The values were expressed as µg/ml of continuous illumination (light intensity, culture and presented as means of 1.5 Klux PAR) provided by cool-white triplicate measurements. fluorescent tubes. The source of combined nitrogen (NaNO3) was omitted from the Results and Discussion medium for the growth and maintenance Effect of pH of heterocystous cyanobacteria. Cultures were shaken twice a day for 15 min on Figure 1 shows the effects different factors rotary shaker. Cyanobacteria growth was (pH, temperature, light intensity and light- monitored spectrophotometrically by dark period) on the production of recording the absorbance of homogenous phycobiliprotein in coccoid (Synechocystis liquid culture at 650 nm with UV-Vis sp. and Gloeocapsa sp.) and filamentous spectrophotometer at regular intervals (Anabaena sp. and Lyngbya sp.) (Sorokin, 1973). Biomass was harvested cyanobacteria. In order to assess the from cultures (15-days old) by influence of pH on the levels of centrifugation (5,000xg, 10 min). phycobiliprotein in cyanobacteria, the pH of the culture medium was adjusted at Estimation of phycobiliproteins values 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 using 1N HCl and 1N NaOH, the other parameters (e.g. Phycobiliproteins were extracted from temperature, light intensity and light-dark harvested biomass in 0.01 M phosphate period) being optimally constant. As buffer (pH 7.0), employing repeated o o shown in the figure, the pH value of 8 of freezing (-20 C) and thawing (5 C) and the culture medium was found to be supernatants were obtained by optimum, yielding the maximum total centrifugation (10,000xg, 10 min). The phycobiliprotein in the cyanobacteria absorbance of phycobiliprotein containing examined with the values 57.8 µg/ml in cell-free supernatants was measured at 562 Synechocystis sp., 65.2 µg/ml in nm, 615 nm and 652 nm. These Gloeocapsa sp., 86.5 µg/ml in Anabaena wavelengths correspond to the absorption sp. and 104.1 µg/ml in Lyngbya sp. This maxima of phycoerythrin, phycocyanin finding suggests that the optimum pH and allophycocyanin, respectively. The (7.6 8) required for the growth of concentration of phycobiliproteins- cyanobacteria can be correlated with the phycocyanin (PC), allophycocyanin (APC) optimum pH for phycobiliprotein and phycoerythrin (PE) was determined production. The observed pH optimum spectrophotometrically using the equation value for the maximum production of given by Bennett and Bogorad (1973): phycobiliprotein is consistent with the values reported for the cyanobacteria PC= (A615 0.474×A652)/5.34 Synechocystis (Hong and Lee, 2008) and Anabaena NCCU-9 (Hemlata and Fatma, APC= (A652 0.208×A615)/5.09 2009). The increase in pH, from 7 to 9, of the culture medium has been reported to PE= [A562 (2.41×PC) increase the total phycobiliprotein content (0.849×APC)]/9.62 in Nostoc sp. UAM 206 (Poza-Carrion et al., 2001). pH is an important factor Total phycobiliprotein= PC+APC+PE which not only determines diversity, distribution, abundance and growth of 766 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(5): 764-771 cyanobacteria in various freshwater and different light intensities (500, 1000, 1500, terrestrial ecosystems, but also influence 2000, 2500, 3000 lux) for specific their metabolic or biochemical activities duration. Light intensities were adjusted to considerably in laboratory cultures desired levels by changing the (Whitton, 2000; Sardeshpande and