An improved phycobilin extraction method

One unique feature in cyanoprokaryotes, rhodophytes, and cryptophytes is the presence of phycobilin pigments-these water soluble pigments can absorb red, orange, yellow, and green light enhancing the spectral range available for cellular conversion to chemical energy. The presence of phycobilin pigment complexes can be detected using fluorescence, or absorbance measures. Efficient detection of these compounds is essential for use in calibrating absorbance in remote sensing or in physiological studies. The standard procedure for phycobilin analysis involves sonication, extraction in buffer potentially coupled with additional digestion steps using enzymes, repeated freeze and thawing cycles, followed by filtration, and spectrophotometric analyses. An alternative method, using asolectin-CHAPS ((3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]propanesulfonic acid – AC)) solution for extraction, and three cycles of freeze/thawing/sonication, was compared to the phosphate buffer (PB) standard procedure. Cultures of both coccoid and filamentous cyanoprokaryota had improved extraction efficiency (38–80%) using AC. After two complete extractions, no pigment was detectable in AC and near baseline fluorescence was observed in the cell pellet, whereas the PB extraction method removed <90% of the phycobilins after two extractions. Phycocyanin concentration measured by AC extraction was better correlated to lipophilic pigment concentration than using phosphate buffer extraction. AC buffered to pH 6.7 was more effective than AC 3.75. One potential source of experimental error was determined to be the use of a baseline correction for the extraction buffer, not the sample.

► Cyanobacterial water soluble pigment concentrations are poorly correlated with lipophilic pigments.
► A new method for extracting pigments is described.
► The new method of pigment extraction yield 30% higher pigment levels.