The importance and applications of algal pigments

During the normal metabolism and when the redox equilibrium is broken and in high pressures of O2 and other reactive species originating from pollutants like cigarette smoke, ROS and RNS can attack lipids, proteins and DNA, forming lipid radicals, amino and thiyl radicals (RS• free radicals), and sugar. However, some of the free radicals and reactive species are beneficial in regulating the intracellular redox signaling, fighting the invasion of organisms and inflammation by pathogens, or even inducing the cells to adapt themselves and protect from other severe oxidative damages. Some of the disease which may be induced by reactive species are: Aging, Alzheimer, Parkinson, Atherosclerosis, Cardiovascular disease (CVD), Cancer, Inflammatory, Neurological diseases, Diabetes, Obesity There are three different groups of light harvesting and photoprotective pigments Chlorophylls, Carotenoids, Phycobiliproteins. Carotenoids: More than 750 red, orange, or yellow structurally defined carotenoids are reported from nature. Hydrocarbon carotenoids are known as carotenes, while oxygenated derivatives of these hydrocarbons are known as xanthophylls. Most carotenoids cross the cell membrane by simple or facilitated diffusion and are delivered through the body as a part of lipoproteins (chylomicrons, VLDL, LDL and HDL). Astaxanthin has the highest AO capacity among several carotenoids, Phycobiliproteins: are water-soluble the major photosynthetic accessory pigments in cyanobacteria; rhodophytes; cryptomonads and cyanelles Phycobiliproteins. Phycobiliproteins can be divided broadly into 3 classes: PE, PC, and APC. The advantages of using algae as the source of dyes and food colorants are: Nutritional value, Eco-friendliness, Non-toxicity and non-carcinogenicity. Phycobiliproteins possess a wide spectrum of actual and/or potential biotechnological applications, for instance, nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, food industry, cosmetics, biomedical research and clinical diagnostics. Phycobilisomes these intricate protein assemblies, arranged in rows and coupled to photosystem ii (ps ii) particles on the external surface of the thylakoid membranes, serve as the predominant light-harvesting structures for cyanobacteria. The intricate functional hycobilisome structures comprise two general types of proteins: brightly colored (1) phycobiliproteins (2) linker proteins. The protein portion of the pbps consists of two dissimilar polypeptides designated as α, β. The linker polypeptides have been divided into three groups depending on their functions and molecular weights.