Investigation of the antioxidant and antibacterial properties and functions of phycobiliprotein pigments extracted from Spirulina and Gracilaria

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 M.Sc. Student in Biochemistry, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

2 Associate Professor in Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

3 Ph.D. Student in Biochemistry, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

4 PhD in Biochemistry, Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Guilan

10.22124/japb.2026.31694.1578

Abstract

Phycobiliproteins, a class of naturally occurring bioactive compounds derived from organisms such as red algae and cyanobacteria, have attracted considerable attention due to their diverse biological activities. The present study aimed to investigate the structural characteristics, spectral properties, and the free radical scavenging, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of two major phycobilipigments. These pigments were extracted from Spirulina platensis and Gracilaria gracilis, respectively. The extraction procedure involved repeated freeze–thaw cycles followed by ammonium sulfate precipitation and dialysis for partial purification. spectrophotometric analysis revealed maximum absorption peaks at 620 nm for phycocyanin and at 495 and 545 nm for phycoerythrin. SDS–PAGE analysis confirmed the presence of α and β subunits (18–20 kDa) and a γ subunit (31kDa). FTIR spectroscopy demonstrated the presence of characteristic biological functional groups, including the (amide I) band at 1644 cm⁻¹ and tetrapyrrolic structures.The DPPH assay verified the antioxidant capacity of both pigments. The free radical scavenging activity was 59% for phycoerythrin and 42% for phycocyanin. Disk diffusion assays demonstrated that both pigments exhibited antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Phycoerythrin showed the highest activity against Gram-positive bacteria, whereas phycocyanin exhibited greater inhibitory effects against Gram-negative bacteria. These findings highlight the significant potential of these pigments for pharmaceutical, industrial, and food applications.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

نوروزی ب، انوار س.ا. و اهری ح. 1399. استخراج، خالص‌سازی و ارزیابی خواص ضد میکروبی و آنتی‌اکسیدانی رنگدانه فیکواریترین سیانوباکتری خاکزیNostoc sp. FA1 . مجله دنیای میکروب، جلد سیزدهم، شماره 2، ص: 138–153.
Bennett A, Bogorad L. 1973. Complementary chromatic adaptation in a filamentous blue-green alga. J Cell Biol, 58(2): 419–435.
Brabakaran A, Venkatesan S, Jayappriyan KR, Roselin LS, Thangaraju N. 2020. Antioxidant Properties of R‑Phycoerythrin from Red Alga Spyridia filamentosa (Wulfen) Harvey Collected on the Pudumadam Coast. Adv Sci Eng Med, 12(4): 489–498.
Chen H, Qi H, Xiong P. 2022. Phycobiliproteins – a family of algae-derived biliproteins: productions, characterization and pharmaceutical potentials. Marine Drugs, 20(7): 450.
Contreras-Martel C, Matamala A, Bruna C, Poo‑Caamaño G, Almonacid D, Figueroa M, Martínez‑Oyanedel J, Bunster M. 2007. The structure at 2 Å resolution of phycocyanin from Gracilaria chilensis and the energy transfer network in a PC–PC complex. Biophysical Chemistry, 125(2–3): 388–396.
Coulombier N, Jauffrais T, Lebouvier N. 2021. Antioxidant compounds from microalgae: A review. Marine Drugs, 19(10): 549.
Duygu DY, Udoh AU, Ozer TB, Akbulut A, Erkaya IA, Yildiz K, Guler D. 2012. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for identification of Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck 1890 and Scenedesmus obliquus (Turpin) Kützing 1833. Afr J Biotechnol, 11: 3817–3824.
Estrada, J. P., Bescós, P. B. and Del Fresno, A. V. (2001). Antioxidant activity of different fractions of Spirulina platensis protean extract. II Farmaco, 56(5-7): 497-500.
Hsieh-Lo M, Castillo G, Ochoa-Becerra MA, Mojica L. 2023. Phycocyanin and phycoerythrin: Strategies to improve production yield and chemical stability. Algal Research, 69: 103068.
Jaeschke DP, Teixeira IR, Marczak LDF, Mercali GD. 2021. Phycocyanin from Spirulina: A review of extraction methods and stability. Food Research International, 143: 110314.
Jerley AA, Prabu DM. 2015. Purification, characterization and antioxidant properties of C‑Phycocyanin from Spirulina platensis. Scrutiny International Research Journal of Agriculture, Plant Biotechnology and Bio Products, 2(1): 7–15.
Kannaujiya VK, Sundaram S, Sinha RP. 2017. Phycobiliproteins: recent developments and future applications. Springer.
Kawsar SM, Fujii Y, Matsumoto R, Yasumitsu H, Ozeki Y. 2011. Protein R-phycoerythrin from marine red alga Amphiroa anceps: extraction, purification and characterization. Phytologia Balcanica, 17(3): 347–354.
Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ. 1951. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem, 193(1): 265–275.
Mantiri DMH, Kepel RC, Boneka FB, Sumilat DA. 2021. Phytochemical screening, antioxidant and antibacterial tests on red algae, Halymenia durvillaei, and phycoerythrin pigments. AACL Bioflux, 14(6): 3358–3365.
Mishra SK, Shrivastav A, Mishra S. 2011. Preparation of highly purified C-phycoerythrin from marine cyanobacterium Pseudanabaena sp. Protein Expr Purif, 80: 234–238.
Mohamed SA, Osman A, Abo Eita A, Sitohy MZ. 2018. Estimation of antibacterial and antioxidant activities of phycocyanin isolated from Spirulina. Zagazig Journal of Agricultural Research, 45(2): 657–66.
Morya S, Kumar Chattu V, Khalid W, Khalid MZ, Siddeeg A. 2023. Potential protein phycocyanin: an overview on its properties, extraction, and utilization. International Journal of Food Properties, 26(2): 3160–3176.
Nguyen HPT, Morançais M, Déléris P, Fleurence J, Nguyen‑Le CT, Vo KH, Dumay J. 2020. Purification of R‑phycoerythrin from a marine macroalga Gracilaria gracilis by anion‑exchange chromatography. J Appl Phycol, 32: 553–561.
Nowruzi B, Anvar SA, Ahari H. 2020. Extraction, purification and evaluation of antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of phycoerythrin from terrestrial cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. FA1. J Microbial World, 13(2): 138–153.
Patil G, Chethana S, Sridevi AS, Raghavarao KSMS. 2006. Method to obtain C‑phycocyanin of high purity. J Chromatogr A, 1127(1–2): 76–8.
Pema-Medina RL, Fimbres-Olivarria D, Enríquez-Ocana LF, Martinez-Cordova LR, Del-Toro-Sanchez CL, Lopez-Elias JA, Gonzalez-Vega RI. 2023. Erythroprotective potential of phycobiliproteins extracted from Porphyridium cruentum. Metabolites, 13(3): 366.
Prabakaran G, Sampathkumar P, Kavisri M, Moovendhan M. 2020. Extraction and characterization of phycocyanin from Spirulina platensis and evaluation of its anticancer, antidiabetic and antiinflammatory effect. Int J Biol Macromol, 153: 256–263.
Shanmugam A, Sigamani S, Venkatachalam H, Jayaraman JD, Ramamurthy D. 2017. Antibacterial activity of extracted phycocyanin from Oscillatoria sp. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 7(3): 62–67.
Sitohy, M., Osman, A., Ghany, A. G. A. and Salama, A. (2015). Antibacterial phycocyanin from Anabaena oryzae SOS13. International Journal of Applied Research in Natural Products, 8(4): 27-36.
Sonani RR, Roszak AW, Ortmann de Percin Northumberland C, Madamwar D, Cogdell RJ. 2018. An improved crystal structure of C‑phycoerythrin from the marine cyanobacterium Phormidium sp. A09DM. Photosynthesis Research, 135(1): 65–78.
Soni RA, Sudhakar K, Rana R. 2017. Spirulina – From growth to nutritional product: A review. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 69: 157–171.
Torres P, Santos JP, Chow F, dos Santos DY. 2019. A comprehensive review of traditional uses, bioactivity potential, and chemical diversity of the genus Gracilaria (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta). Algal Research, 37: 288–306.
Venkatesan S, Pugazhendy K, Sangeetha D, Vasantharaja C, Prabakaran S, Meenambal M. 2012. Fourier transform infrared (FT‑IR) spectroscopic analysis of Spirulina. Int J Pharm Biol Arch, 3(4): 969–972.
Zarrouk C. 1966. Contribution to the study of cyanobacteria: influence of various physical and chemical factors on growth and photosynthesis in Spirulina maxima. PhD thesis, University of Paris.
Aquatic Physiology and Biotechnology
Volume 13, Issue 4
April 2026
Pages 1-28

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics