BIOPIGMENTS AND RUBISCO EXPRESSION UNDER HEAVY METAL STRESS IN SPIRULINA PLATENSISAmeesh Dev Singh and Gajendra Pal SinghAbstract Blue-green algae can absorb and remove heavy metals and other contaminants from environment which are produced mainly from use of heavy metals containing compounds in industrial, domestic and agricultural activities. Commercially effect of heavy metals on algal biopigments is of importance as algal pigments are used as natural dyes for food and cosmetics, they also have application in pharmaceuticals and as fluorescent markers in biomedical research. Extensive presence and the ability of cyanobacteria to grow and concentrate heavy metals ensures their suitability for practical uses to bioremediate waste water. For research work freshwater Cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis was isolated from Mansagar Lake of Jaipur and pure cultures were subjected different concentrations of heavy metal Nickel and effects were studied on biomass and biopigments such as chlorophyll-a, carotenoids, phycocyanin, allophycocyanin, and phycoerythrin. Effect on Rubisco protein was also studied. Significant changes in growth and biopigmentsâ production and Rubisco expression was reported due to heavy metal stress. |