University of Novi Sad
Faculty of Sciences
Department of Biology and Ecology
EFFECT OF NITROGEN ON PHYCOBILIPROTEIN
CONTENT IN NITROGEN-FIXING CYANOBACTERIA
ISOLATED FROM SERBIAN FOREST ECOSYSTEMS
Olivera B. Babić, Dajana J. Kovač, Jelica B. Simeunović
5th CASEE Conference "Healthy Food Production and Environmental
Preservation – The Role of Agriculture, Forestry and Applied Biology“
Novi Sad, 26.05.2014.


Cyanobacteria - highly diverse
group of photosynthetic
microorganisms
Colonize highly diverse ecological
niches

1.
2.
3.
4.
Phycobiliproteins - the major light
harvesting supramolecular complex
structure:
Allophycocyanin (APC, λmax~650 nm),
Phycocyanin (PC, λmax~620 nm),
Phycoerythrin (PE, λmax~545-565 nm)
Phycoerythrocyanin (PEC, λmax~575 nm)
Baldo et al., 2009

Phycobiliproteins are widely used in
different branches of industry
THE AIMS

To analyze the influence of nitrogen on
phycobiliprotein production in six nitrogen-fixing
filamentous cyanobacteria isolated from two
mountains in Serbia

To establish the differences in the content of
phycobiliprotein between tested cyanobacteria as
potential producers of phycobiliprotein pigments
during different phases of their growth
Material and methods
•
Culture conditions :
•
- mineral, nutrient medium BG-11 with nitrogen (the concentration of 1.5
g/L) and without nitrogen (Rippka et al., 1979)
•
- at 22-24ºC
•
- cool white fluorescent light (50 μmol m-2s-1)
•
- 12 hours of light/12 hours of darkness
Spectrophotometric method (Bennett and Bogorod, 1973)
PE [mg/ml] = (A562-2.41•PC-0.849•APC)/9.62

PC [mg/ml] = (A615-0.474•A652)/5.34

APC [mg/ml] = (A652-0.208•A615)/5.09
Strain Anabaena M1
Strain Nostoc M1
Tabele 1. Tested terrestrial cyanobacterial strains
strain
Genus
Origin of the
strain
SP2
Nostoc
Stara Planina
SP2
Anabaena
Stara Planina
M1
Nostoc
Fruška gora
(area Morović)
M1
Anabaena
Fruška gora
(area Morović)
M2
Nostoc
Fruška gora
(area Morović)
M2
Anabaena
Fruška gora
(area Morović)
Strain Anabaena M2
Strain Nostoc M2
Strain Anabaena SP2
Strain Nostoc SP2
Results
PE (0.0428 mg/ml)
0,04
PC (+N)
0,035
PE (+N)
0,03
0,025
0,02
0,045
APC (+N)
APC (-N)
PC (-N)
PE (-N)
0,015
Concentration of APC, PC, PE (mg/ml)
Concentration of APC, PC, PE (mg/ml)
0,045
0,04
PC (+N)
0,035
PE (+N)
0,03
APC (-N)
PC (-N)
0,025
PE (-N)
0,02
0,015
0,01
0,01
0,005
0,005
0
0
Fig. 1. Content of phycobiliproteins in tested
cyanobacterial strains on the14th day of cultivation
APC (+N)
Fig. 2. Content of phycobiliproteins in tested
cyanobacterial strains on the 21th day of cultivation
0,045
Concentration of APC, PC, PE (mg/ml)
0,04
0,035
0,03
0,025
0,018
APC (+N)
APC (0.0164 mg/ml)
APC (+N)
PC (+N)
0,016
PE (+N)
0,014
PE (+N)
0,012
APC (-N)
APC (-N)
PC (-N)
PE (-N)
0,02
0,015
0,01
Concentration of APC, PC, PE (mg/ml)
0,05
0,01
PC (-N)
PE (-N)
0,008
0,006
0,004
0,005
0,002
0
0
Fig. 3. Content of phycobiliproteins in tested
cyanobacterial strains on the 28th day of cultivation
PC (+N)
Fig. 4 .Content of phycobiliproteins in tested
cyanobacterial strains on the 35th day of cultivation
0,035
0,09
APC (+N)
PE (+N)
APC (-N)
0,025
PC (-N)
PE (-N)
0,02
0,015
0,01
0,08
Concentration of APC, PC, PE (mg/ml)
Concentration of APC, PC, PE (mg/ml)
PC (+N)
0,03
0,07
0,06
APC (+N)
PC (+N)
PC (0.0762 mg/ml)
PE (+N)
APC (-N)
PC (-N)
PE (-N)
0,05
0,04
0,03
0,02
0,005
0,01
0
Fig. 5. Content of phycobiliproteins in tested
cyanobacterial strains on the 42th day of cultivation
0
Fig. 6. Content of phycobiliproteins in tested
cyanobacterial strains on the 50th day of cultivation
Conclusions

Autochtone terrestrial, filamentous N2-fixing cyanobacterial strains isolated from
the forest ecosystems had good potential for phycobiliprotein production;

Phycobiliprotein production is a strain-specific property;

Phycobiliprotein content depends on the nitrogen source and growth phase;

The highest amount of all three phycobiliproteins was detected in strains Nostoc
M1, Anabaena SP2 and Nostoc SP2. The concentration of phycoerythrin was
the highest in the strain Nostoc SP2. The concentration of allophycocyanin was
the highest in the strain Nostoc M1. The concentration of phycocyanin was the
highest in the strain Anabaena SP2.

Tested strains, especially of the Nostoc genus, can be a concern as a potential
natural source of phycobiliproteins;

Adjusting the cultivation conditions can affect the pigments production in order to
achieve maximum values for the biotechnological use.

This study has been supported by the
funding of the Ministry of Education and
Science of the Serbian Government
(project number: III 43002, 2011-2014)
which is greatly acknowledged
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATENTION