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Updated: Apr 1, 2026

Isolation and Characterization of Intact Phycobilisome in Cyanobacteria
Published on: November 10, 2021
The phycobilisomes: an early requisite for efficient photosynthesis in cyanobacteria
Niraj Kumar Singh1, Ravi Raghav Sonani2, Rajesh Prasad Rastogi2
1Shri A. N. Patel PG Institute (M. B. Patel Science College Campus), Anand, Sardargunj, Anand - 388001, Gujarat, India.
Abstract:
Cyanobacteria trap light energy by arrays of pigment molecules termed "phycobilisomes (PBSs)", organized proximal to "reaction centers" at which chlorophyll perform the energy transduction steps with highest quantum efficiency. PBSs, composed of sequential assembly of various chromophorylated phycobiliproteins (PBPs), as well as nonchromophoric, basic and hydrophobic polypeptides called linkers. Atomic resolution structure of PBP is a heterodimer of two structurally related polypeptides but distinct specialised polypeptides- a and ß, made up of seven alpha-helices each which played a crucial step in evolution of PBPs. PBPs carry out various light dependent responses such as complementary chromatic adaptation. The aim of this review is to summarize and discuss the recent progress in this field and to highlight the new and the questions that remain unresolved.
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