The Use of Carrier Ampholyte-Free Isoelectric Focusing for Proteomic Analysis

Carrier ampholyte-free isoelectric focusing was applied for pre-concentration, purification and micropreparation of phycobiliproteins (C-phycocyanin, allophycocyanin, B-phycoerythrin) extracted from cyanobacteria Anabeana doliolum and from red microalga Porphyridium cruentum. The extraction of phycobiliproteins was carried out in deionized water. The sonication in the ultrasonic bath and liquid nitrogen freeze grind was used for extraction of proteins of interest. Pre-concentrated and pre-separated proteins were collected and analyzed via MALDI-TOF-TOF mass spectrometer after their proteolytic digestion via trypsin. Based on tandem mass spectrometric analysis, the C-phycocyanin, allophycocyanin and B-phycoerythrin were identified unambiguously.     

Expanded Bed Adsorption Chromatography for Recovery of Phycocyanins from the Microalga Spirulina Platensis

We carried out the purification of C-phycocyanin and allophycocyanin from Spirulina platensis taking advantage of the adsorption properties of the expanded beds. Initially, phycobiliproteins were released from the microalga cells by osmotic shock. Next, phycocyanins were recovered by applying the centrifuged cell suspension directly to the anion exchanger Streamline-DEAE using expanded bed columns, equilibrated with 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0. After adsorption, washing was carried out in the expanded-bed mode. Having removed unbound proteins and cellular debris, the bed was allowed to sediment and phycocyanins rich solution was eluted with a downward flow of 500 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0. Finally, we utilized conventional gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography methods for separation and purification of C-phycocyanin and allophycocyanin. The purification steps were monitored using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the purity of recovered phycocyanins was confirmed by absorption and emission spectroscopy. The main advantage of this new method is the high yield achieved in the steps of product extraction and adsorption by expanded bed adsorption, so reducing both processing times and costs.     

Characterization of Associative Properties of Phycobiliprotein Preparations From Anacystis nidulans R2 By Direct Scanning Gel Chromatography

Abstract

The effects of salt concentration and pH on biliprotein self-association were examined using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and direct scanning gel filtration. Fractions containing different relative concentrations of C-phycocyanin, allophycocyanin, and linker proteins were prepared from Anacystis nidulans R₂. Four linker proteins and three pigmented protein bands were identified by gel electrophoresis. The migration rates of biliproteins were monitored in gel filtration columns using a direct scanning system. High salt concentrations and low pH enhanced the biliprotein migration rates, consistent with an increased self association under these conditions. The increased migration rates were greater in preparations containing larger amounts of linker peptides, indicating a role for these peptides in stabilizing the biliprotein aggregates. The profiles obtained from direct column scanning suggest that a rapid equilibrium exists between monomer and hexamer of C-phycocyanin in the absence of linker proteins.     

EXCITATION ENERGY MIGRATION IN PHYCOBILISOMES: COMPARISON OF EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND THEORETICAL PREDICTIONS

Abstract— Quantum yield and fluorescence polarization determinations on phycobilisomes and their constituent phycobiliproteins show that phycobilisomes are energetically effective macromolecular structures. Energy migration within the phycobilisome to allophycocyanin, the longest wavelength absorbing and emitting phycobiliprotein, was indicated by the predominant allophycocyanin fluorescence emission which was independent of the phycobiliprotein being excited. The high efficiency of the energy migration inside the phycobilisome was reflected by the low polarized fluorescence. Excitation of phycobilisomes in the region of major absorption (500–650 nm) resulted in degrees of fluorescence polarization between +0.02 and –0.02, whereas in isolated phycobiliproteins the values were 2 to 12 times greater. Furthermore, 94–98° of the excitation energy of phycoerythrin was transferred to phycocyanin and allophycocyanin as determined from comparisons of fluorescence spectra of intact and dissociated phycobilisomes. The fluorescence quantum yields of phycobilisomes were about 0.60–0.68, very similar to that of pure allophycocyanin in solution (0.68). Phycobilisomes isolated from Fremyella diplosiphon and Nostoc sp. (blue-gree algae) have respective quantum yields of 0.68 and 0. 65, and those isolated from Porphyridium cruentum (red alga), about 0.60. In Fremyella diplosiphon and Nostoc sp., which showed a striking adaptation to different wavelengths, the phycobilisome quantum yields only varied from 0.68 to 0.67 and from 0.65 to 0. 60, respectively. The mean transfer time, calculated on the basis of experimental results, was about 280 ± 40 ps for transfer of excitation from the phycoerythrin to the phycocyanin layer in phycobilisomes. This time corresponds to the mean number of jumps, about 28, of the excitation in the phycoerythrin layer before it is captured by phycocyanin. These values are in reasonable agreement with the values of 250 ± 30 ps and 25 jumps, calculated on the basis of a phycobilisome model (of Porphyridium cruentum) and Pearlstein's theory of energy migration devised for a three-dimensional photosynthetic unit. It was also shown that Paillotin's theory of energy migration predicts similar values for mean transfer time and mean number of jumps, if one assumes that phycocyanin is a perfect sink for phycoerythrin excitation.     

螺旋藻藻胆蛋白的荧光寿命、量子产率及其光谱学特性

具有不同聚集态的藻胆蛋白有着不同的摩尔消光系数。这些聚集态决定了引起各藻胆蛋白之间光谱特性差别的藻蓝胆素发色团的构象。研究结果表明,在高聚态的C-藻蓝蛋白和变藻蓝蛋白中,由蛋白质——发色团之间相互作用调制的发色团的构象,对太阳能的吸收和激发能转移到光合反应中心的过程可能有重要作用。     

Separation and quantitation of phycobiliproteins using phytic acid in capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection

The similar electrophoretic mobilities and sizes of several of the phycobiliproteins, which are derived from the photosynthetic apparatus of cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae, render their separation and quantitation a challenging problem. However, we have developed a suitable capillary electrophoresis (CE) method that employs a phytic acid-boric acid buffer and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection with a single 594 nm He-Ne laser. This method takes advantage of the remarkably high quantum yields of these naturally fluorescent proteins, which can be attributed to their linear tetrapyrrole chromophores covalently bound to cysteinyl residues. As such, limits of detection of 1.18 x 10(-14), 5.26 x 10(-15), and 2.38 x 10(-15) mol/l were obtained for R-phycoerythrin, C-phycocyanin, and allophycocyanin proteins, respectively, with a linear dynamic range of eight orders of magnitude in each case. Unlike previously published CE-LIF methods, this work describes the separation of all three major classes of phycobiliproteins in under 5 min. Very good recoveries, ranging from 93.2 to 105.5%, were obtained for a standard mixture of the phycobiliproteins, based on seven-point calibration curves for both peak height and peak area. It is believed that this development will prove useful for the determination of phycobiliprotein content in naturally occurring cyanobacteria populations, thus providing a useful tool for understanding biological and chemical oceanographic processes.     

Computer simulation on the energy transfer processes in allophycocyanins

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PHYCOBILIPROTEINS: COMPARISON OF SOLUTION AND SINGLE CRYSTAL FLUORESCENCE FOR C-PHYCOCYANIN AND B-PHYCOERYTHRIN*

Abstract— Trimeric and hexameric solution forms of C-phycocyanin (CPC) from the cyanophyte Agme-nellum quadruplicatum have been isolated and their spectral properties compared to those obtained from single crystals. Although the absorbance peak of a suspension of small C-phycocyanin crystals is red-shifted only 7 nm relative to the solution forms, the single crystal fluorescence is red-shifted 60 nm relative to the solution forms. The crystal fluorescence spectrum exhibits a single peak at LD_max= 708 nm when excited at 514.5 or 530.9 nm and two peaks (LD_max= 661 and 708 nm) when excitation occurs at 568.2 nm. Fluorescence depolarization measurements indicate that extensive energy transfer could occur for both solution and crystal forms with the latter being dependent upon the relative orientation of the crystal with respect to the excitation dipole. Similar results were obtained with B-phycoerythrin (BPE) from the red alga Porphyridium cruentum where the single crystal fluorescence is red-shifted =50nm relative to the solution spectra with two peaks (LD_max= 583 and 617 nm) observed whose relative intensities are dependent on the excitation wavelength (LD_max– 514.5 and 530.9 nm). Single crystal fluorescent lifetimes exhibited considerable shortening relative to that observed for the solution forms. The implications of these results are discussed with respect to the possible relationships of the crystalline structures to the assembly forms present within phycobilisomes.     

Combinational Biosynthesis of a Fluorescent Cyanobacterial Holo-α-Phycocyanin in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> by Using One Expression Vector

The phycobiliproteins (PBSs) are large pigment proteins found in certain algae that play a central role in harvesting light energy for photosynthesis. Phycocyanin (PC) is one type of PBSs that gains increasing attention owing to its various biological and pharmacological properties. In this paper, an expression vector containing five essential genes in charge of biosynthesis of cyanobacterial C-phycocyanin (C-PC) holo-α subunit (holo-CpcA) was successfully constructed resulting in over-expression of a fluorescent holo-CpcA in E. coli BL21. The vector harbored two cassettes: one cassette carried genes hox1 and pcyA required for conversion of heme to phycocyanobilin (PCB), and the other cassette carried cpcA encoding CpcA along with cpcE and cpcF both of which were necessary and sufficient for the correct addition of PCB to CpcA. The vector system contained a His-tag for protein purification. The purified protein showed correct molecular weight on SDS-PAGE gel and emitted orange fluorescence by UV excitation. The maximum peak of absorbance spectrum was at 623 nm, and the maximum peak of fluorescence emission and excitation were at 648 and 633 nm, respectively, which were similar to those of native C-PC. This study provides an efficient method for large-scale production of the fluorescent holo-CpcA in biotechnological applications. Guan and Qin contributed equally to this study.     

FLUORESCENCE RELAXATION KINETICS AND QUANTUM YIELD FROM THE ISOLATED PHYCOBILIPROTEINS OF THE BLUE-GREEN ALGA NOSTOC SP. MEASURED AS A FUNCTION OF SINGLE PICOSECOND PULSE INTENSITY, I

Abstract— Phycobilisomes from the blue-green alga Nostoc sp. are known to contain the phycobiliproteins: c-phycoerythrin (c-PE), c-phycocyanin (c-PC) and four forms of allophycocyanin (APC I, II, III, and B). We have made a detailed study of the effects of the intensity of a single 6 ps excitation pulse on the decay kinetics and the yield of fluorescence in the individual isolated phycobiliproteins at pH 7 and 23°C. The risetime of the fluorescence of c-PE, c-PC and APC was > 12 ps. We found that the decay of the fluorescence was exponential at intensities of 10¹⁴ photons/cm² in all the phycobiliproteins; the lifetimes being 1552 ± 31ps for c-PE, 2111 ± 83ps for c-PC, 1932 ± 165ps for APC I, 1870 ± 90ps for APC II, 1816 ± 88ps for APC III, (1869 ± 62ps for the averaged APC's I, II, and III), and 2667 ± 233 ps for APC B. We also found that the fluorescence decay became non-exponential in c-PE at excitation intensities < 10¹⁴ photons/cm², but was exponential for all the other phycobiliproteins even at a pulse intensity of 10¹⁵ photons/cm². The relaxation times of c-PE and c-PC decreased with excitation intensity above 10¹⁴ photons/cm². For c-PE and c-PC the relative fluorescence vs excitation intensity was readily described by a relationship derived for a model in which exciton–exciton annihilation occurs. In APC the fluorescence yield and relaxation time were only slightly dependent on the excitation intensity. The results are interpreted to indicate the occurrence of singlet–singlet annihilation intramolecularly among the several phycobilin chromophores within the individual phycobiliprotein molecules in solution. The s to f transfer time is less than 12ps in c-PC.     

PHOTOREACTIONS OF THE CHROMOPHORE CATIONS OF DENATURED SPECIES OF C-PHYCOCYANIN AND ALLOPHYCOCYANIN

Abstract— C-phycocyanin dissolved in buffer containing 75% ethylene glycol (vol/vol) shows photorevers-ible reactions which are ascribed to the interconversion by light of two species: PC_r, PC_g. After denaturation with formic acid, the chromophore cation of PC_g, can be irreversibly photoconverted to that of PC_r A conversion of the chromophore of denatured PC_g, to that of denatured PC_r also occurs after adjustment of the pH to about 8. Under the same conditions the chromophore of allophycocyanin shows similar reactions. Moreover, the reactions of the chromophores of the denatured species of these phycobiliproteins are similar to the reactions of the chromophore of the denatured species P_fr of photochrome.     

Phycobiliproteins encapsulated in sol-gel glass

Light transducing phycobiliproteins are encapsulated in optically transparent sol-gel matrices. Absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies are used to characterize the effect of the sol-gel encapsulation on the conformation and aggregation states of the three major phycobiliproteins present in phycobilisomes: phycoerythrin, phycocyanin, and allophycocyanin. It is found that the effects of sol-gel entrapment on the spectroscopic properties are significantly different for the three phycobiliproteins. The results indicate that phycoerythrin undergoes only minor change in its native structure when entrapped in sol-gel. However, significant changes in conformation and aggregation state occur when phycocyanin and allophycocyanin are entrapped in sol-gel matrices. A thin film of sol-gel encapsulated phycoerythrin is also coated on an optical fiber surface and strong fluorescence from the evanescent wave excitation is detected. The potential applications of sol-gel encapsulated phycobiliproteins in biosensors are discussed.     

Effects of PAR and UV Radiation on the Structural and Functional Integrity of Phycocyanin,Phycoerythrin and Allophycocyanin Isolated from the Marine Cyanobacterium Lyngbya sp. A09DM

An in vitro analysis of the effects of photosynthetically active and ultraviolet radiations was executed to assess the photostability of biologically relevant pigments phycocyanin (PC), phycoerythrin (PE) and allophycocyanin (APC) isolated from Lyngbya sp. A09DM. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiances significantly affected the integrity of PC, PE and APC; however, PAR showed least effect. UV radiation affected the bilin chromophores covalently attached to phycobiliproteins (PBPs). Almost complete elimination of the chromophore bands associated with α‐ and β‐subunit of PE and APC occurred after 4 h of UV‐B exposure. After 5 h of UV‐B exposure, the content of PC, PE and APC decreased by 51.65%, 96.8% and 96.53%, respectively. Contrary to PAR and UV‐A radiation, a severe decrease in fluorescence of all PBPs was observed under UV‐B irradiation. The fluorescence activity of extracted PBP was gradually inhibited immediately after 15–30 min of UV‐B exposure. In comparison to the PC, the fluorescence properties of PE and APC were severely lost under UV‐B radiation. Moreover, the present study indicates that UV‐B radiation can damage the structural and functional integrity of phycobiliproteins leading to the loss of their ecological and biological functions.     

Molecular mechanisms for interaction of glycine betaine with supra-molecular phycobiliprotein complexes

Glycine betaine (GB) is a biologically important small molecule protecting cells, proteins and enzymes in vivo and in vitro under environmental stresses. Recently, it was found that GB could also relax the structure and inactivate the function of phycobiliproteins and phycobilisome (PBS), a kind of supra-molecular complexes, in cyanobacterial cells. The molecular mechanisms for the opposite phenomena are quite ambiguous. Taking PBS and a trimeric or monomeric C-phycocyanin (C-PC) as models, the molecular mechanism for the interaction of GB with supra-molecular complexes or nuclear proteins was investigated. The energetic decoupling of PBS components induced by GB suggests that the PBS core-membrane linking polypeptide was the most sensitive site while the rod-core linker was the next. Biochemistry analysis proves that PBS structure was loosened but not dissociated into the components. On the basis of the results and structure knowledge, it was proposed that GB screened the electrostatic attraction of the opposite charges on a linker and a protein leading to a much looser structure. It was observed that GB induced a spectral blue shift for trimeric C-PC but a red shift for a monomeric C-PC (a nuclear protein), which were ascribed to GB’s screening of the electrostatic attraction of a linker to a protein and strengthening of the hydrophobic interaction between C-PC monomers. The trimers and monomers’ forming of the same products under high concentration of GB was ascribed to a compromise of the opposite interaction forces.     

PHOTOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF PHYCOBILIPROTEINS FROM PHYCOBILISOMES: FLUORESCENCE LIFETIMES, QUANTUM YIELDS, AND POLARIZATION SPECTRA

Abstract— Absorption and fluorescence polarization spectra, as well as absolute fluorescence quantum yields, and lifetimes of phycobiliproteins separated from intact phycobilisomes of Porphyridium cruentum, Nostoc sp. and Fremyella diplosiphon were measured. Two different types of phycoerythrin, in addition to phycocyanin and allophycocyanin, were separated from both Porphyridium cruentum and Nostoc sp. phycobilisomes. They were distinguishable by the shape of their absorption spectra, values of fluorescence quantum yields and their limiting polarization. Phycobilisomes of Fremyella diplosiphon had a type of phycoerythrin that was different from the above kinds. By the use of fluorescence quantum yields and lifetime data, the values of natural lifetimes, the decadic molar extinction coefficients, as well as Förster's critical distances R ₀ for excitation energy transfer, between phycobiliproteins in phycobilisomes, were estimated. The values obtained of Förster's critical distances indicate that for most efficient energy transfer from phycoerythrin to allophycocyanin, the outer layers of Porphyridium cruentum and Nostoc sp. phycobilisomes should be composed of bangiophycean, phycoerythrin and cyanophytan phycoerythrin-II respectively.     

SPECTRAL PROPERTIES OF PHYCOBILISOMES AND PHYCOBILIPROTEINS FROM THE BLUE-GREEN ALGA-NOSTOC SP.*

Abstract— An improved method for phycobilisome isolation from a blue-green alga Nostoc sp. was developed using 1% Triton X-100. The phycobilisome preparations showed little fragmentation and had structures similar in size to those observed in thin sections of the organism. Phycobiliproteins isolated from phycobilisomes and examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, had subunits with the following molecular weights: phycoerythrin (PE), 20,000 and 16,900; phycocyanin (PC), 14,700 and 16,300; and allophycocyanin (APC), 14,000. Isoelectric focusing of each phycobiliprotein resulted in major bands isoelectric at the following pH values: PE, 4.43, 4.45; PC 4.32; APC, 4.38. Absorption spectra at -196°c showed maxima at 551 and 566 nm for PE; 598 and 631 nm for PC; and 590, 600, 629 and 650 nm for APC. Concentrated vs dilute difference spectra of phycobiliproteins showed increased absorption at 574 nm (PE), 630 nm (PC) and 651 nm (APC) suggesting that spectral changes resulted from aggregation. Fluorescence analysis of each phycobiliprotein and of intact phycobilisome preparations showed that energy absorbed by phycoerythrin is transferred to allophycocyanin, possibly by a resonance transfer mechanism. These observations support a model where allophycocyanin forms the base of the phycobilisome which is attached to the photosynthetic membrane. The next layer is assumed to be phycocyanin, which in turn is followed by a phycoerythrin layer that is the outermost layer (on the stroma side) of the phycobilisome.     

Direct differentiation of A‐ring single attachment versus A‐ and D‐ring double attachment of phycoerythrobilin chromophores to phycobiliproteins using MALDI mass spectrometry

Bilin chromophore attachment to phycobiliproteins is an enzyme‐catalyzed post‐translational modification process. Bilin‐lyases attach a bilin chromophore to their cognate protein through a thioether bond between the chromophore and a cysteine moiety. Bilin chromophores are attached to their phycobiliproteins through the 3¹ carbon of the bilin. Double attachment may also occur, and in this case, carbons 3¹ and 18¹ of the bilin are both forming covalent linkages to cysteine moieties. There is a mass spectrometric limitation when examining tryptic peptides containing two (or more) cysteines if one seeks to ascertain whether chromopeptides are singly or doubly attached. The problem is that singly and doubly attached chromopeptides appear at the same m/z value; thus, up until the present, only NMR analysis has been successful at determining whether the chromophore is singly or doubly attached. We report in this work a new, fast and accurate method for discriminating singly from doubly attached chromophores using MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry. This method was developed from mass spectral analysis of chromopeptides that had undergone in vitro or in vivo attachment of bilin chromophores to phycobiliproteins. Distinction is based on a characteristic neutral loss that appears in the MALDI‐TOF mass spectrum only when the bilin is singly attached. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinetics of energy transfer processes in C-phycocyanin complexes

The antenna system of algae for photosynthesis is a functional entity composed of various phycobiliproteins and the linker polypeptides. Up to now, high-resolution crystal structure data have been available only for the isolated phycobiliproteins. To have an understanding of the functional connection between different phycobiliproteins, it is necessary to study the complexes composed of different phycobiliproteins. The energy transfer processes in C-phycocyanin complexes were studied through computer simulation because it is difficult to be studied by conventional experimental methods. The main pathways of energy flow and the dynamic property of the energy transfer were obtained. A fast transfer process between two neighboring disks was observed through analyzing the distribution curves of excitation energy over time. According to the definition of the time constants for energy transfer in time-resolved spectrum techniques, for a complex with three C-phycoeyanin hexamer disks, a fluorescence-rising comp     

Purification of Bioactive Lipopeptides Produced by Bacillus subtilis Strain BIA

Bacillus subtilis strain BIA was used for the production of bioactive lipopeptides. Different extraction and purification methods were assayed as liquid–liquid extraction, and acid and ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by TLC, SPE, and gel filtration. Active fractions were further purified using RP-HPLC. The molecular mass of the purified product from HPLC was determined through Tris-Tricine SDS-PAGE and MALDI–TOF-MS. The results revealed that Bacillus subtilis strain BIA produced surfactin and iturin like compounds. Coproduction of surfactin and iturin like compounds by this strain is a remarkable trait for a potential biocontrol agent. This paper also includeds techniques that have been developed for the optimal and convenient extraction of bioactive lipopeptides from microbial origin.

     

Production and purification of tartrate dehydrogenase

Tartrate dehydrogenase (TDH) is a stereospecific intracellular enzyme produced byPseudomonas putida. Several methods for separation of nucleic acids from the proteins in cell homogenate were compared in this study. These methods included precipitation (using streptomycin sulfate, manganous sulfate, and protamine sulfate) and aqueous two-phase extraction. Under optimal conditions of separation, a single-step aqueous two-phase extraction followed by back-extraction of the enzyme from enzyme-rich PEG-phase resulted in77% recovery of enzyme. This compared favorably with 50% enzyme recovery using protamine sulfate treatment. Furthermore, the remaining enzyme activity was accounted in the nucleic acid-rich dextran phase and the spent-PEG phase, suggesting that a multistep extraction process would increase enzyme recovery even more. Under the conditions of aqueous two-phase extraction, the selectivity of proteins over nucleic acids was 30, indicating a high degree of separation of proteins and nucleic acids in this process. The experimental data and their implications are presented.