Factors regulating phycobiliprotein production in cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria (Blue-green algae), are an ancient, diverse and highly adaptable group of photosynthetic prokaryotes, exhibiting oxygenic photosynthesis (Stanier and Cohen-Bazire, 1977). They inhabit a wide range of terrestrial and aquatic habitats, including those with extreme conditions (Tandeau de Marsac and Houmard 1993; Ward and Castemholz, 2000; Oren, 2000). Their morphology vary from simple unicellular and colonial to complex filamentous forms (branched or unbranched) with or without heterocysts, the thick-walled differentiated cells carrying nitrogen fixation. In addition to the applications of cyanobacteria in agriculture, nutraceuticals, bioenergy and bioremediation (Abed et al., 2009; Patterson, 1996), they have received considerable attention as a rich source of phycobiliproteins. Phycobiliproteins are water-soluble accessory photosynthetic pigments found in cyanobacteria, red algae and cryptomonads (Rowan, 1989). They ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 3 Number 5 (2014) pp. 764-771 http://www.ijcmas.com