Antarctic cyanobacteria as a source of phycocyanin: An assessment

Abstract

The growth characteristics and phycocyanin contents were examined in antarctic and tropical isolates of three cyanobacterial genera Anabaena, Nostoc and Phormidium in batch cultures, and in indoor and outdoor mass-culture units under varying conditions of temperature, light and nutrients. The Antarctic isolates showed 54-62% higher phycocyanin content than the tropical ones. The contents recorded in Antarctic isolates were 1.8 to 3.3 folds higher than the reported values for one of the commercially used strain of Spirulina maxima. The study proves that Antarctic cyanobacteria can yield higher amount of phycocyanin by manipulating growth conditions. The information will serve as a base line data for future biotechnological applications of antarctic cyanobacterial strains within the preview of the Antarctic treaty.