Characterization of phycobilisomes and phycobiliproteins from six freshwater red algae

Six freshwater Rhodophyta (one species each of Boldia, Tuomeya, Lemanea , and Sirodotia and two species of Batrachospermum ) were collected from streams in East Tennessee or grown in culture. Phycobilisomes were isolated and purified from each and the component phycobiliproteins (phycoerythrin, phycocyanin, and allophycocyanin) were characterized using absorption and fluorescence spectra, molecular mass, subunit composition, and pIs. The color of the phycobilisomes ranged from red to blue and violet demonstrating quantitative differences in their pigment composition but all except Boldia had the same maxima suggesting qualitative similarities. Boldia PE has a single peak at 550 nm while the PE of the other algae have the characteristic double peak with maxima at about 500 and 565 nm. PC and APC from all species were similar. These and related biochemical properties will be discussed in relation to these taxonomically diverse algae.