Phycobilisomes

Phycobilisomes are natural light harvesting antennae complexes produced by blue-green and red algae. In algae, these complexes (up to 600 polypeptides) are found anchored to the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts. They are comprised of stacks of phycobiliproteins and their associated linker polypeptides. Phycobilisomes consist of a core made of allophycocyanin (APC), from which several outwardly oriented rods made of stacked disks of phycocyanin (PC) andphycoerythrin (PE) or phycoerythrocyanin. (PEC) The spectral properties of phycobilisomes are determined by the phycobiliprotein composition of these rods. The geometrical arrangement of the phycobilisome results in a 95% efficiency of energy transfer, making phycobilisomes the most efficient optical transducers in nature.

Once uncoupled from its photosystem and released from the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast, the phycobilisome becomes a very powerful fluorescent emitter of red light (665nm). In addition, the high extinction coefficient, large Stokes shift and high quantum yields of the phycobilisomes make them ideal tools for applications in detection such as medical diagnostics, tracers and solar collection.

Phycobilisome Conjugates for Research Applications

CBC has developed proprietary methods and compositions of stabilized phycobilisomes and currently produces two types of phycobilisomes branded SureLight® P-1 and SureLight® P-3. High sensitivityapplications ideal for SureLight® P-1 and SureLight® P-3 are microarrays, point of care diagnostics and fluorescent activated cell-sorting (FACS) using both antibody and streptavidin conjugates.

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