Quantification and purification of C-phycocyanin from cyanobacterial strains Anabaena and Phormidium

Abstract

The cyanobacteria <em>Anabaena</em> and <em>Phormidium</em> are potential source of phycobiliproteins and C phycocyanin (C-pc). Here, we carried out extraction and purification of phycocyanin (PC) from the above selected cyanobacterial isolates using one-step anion exchange chromatography. Crude C-phycocyanins were extracted and concentrated by ammonium sulfate fractionation at saturation of 35%, then purified on a DEAE-sepharose with Fast Flow chromatography column having continuous pH gradient elution from pH 5.1 to 3.76. The process resulted in recovery of high purity C-pc from above cyanobacteria. The purity ratios (A620/A280) of phycocyanin reached 3.34 for <em>Phormidium</em> and 3.1 for <em>Anabaena</em>, respectively. The purity was further demonstrated and confirmed through fluorescence emission spectroscopy. The total recovery yield of pure C-pc was 14% after completion of the process, and the recovered pigment remained stable over a pH range of 4-9. This purification method for recovery of high purity pigment was fairly efficient compared to the existing methods. . As phycocyanin has higher antioxidant activity and hence, the above cyanobacterial strains<em> Anabaena</em> and <em>Phormidium</em> with considerable amount of C-pc, may serve to be a potential source as food supplement as well as for pharmaceuticals industries.