INVESTIGATION THE EFFECT OF SELENATE ON PHYCOCYANIN CONTENT OF SPIRULINA PLATENSIS

Background and Aim:Spirulina platensis is well known to have antioxidant properties, due to the presence of molecules as Phycocyanin (PC) and allophycocyanin (APC) which are the major photosynthetic accessory pigments in S. platensis. They have been used as nutrients. Selenium supplementation was found to be an effective in reducing the incidence of cancer. Nowadays, there are many interests to make Se-enriched products. Therefore, the elucidation of exact process contributed to the reactions of S. platensis to Se has great importance. For produce Se-enriched S. platensis in a large scale, the impact of different concentrations of selenate on its metabolic process need to be assessed. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of selenate on phycocyanin content of S. platensis as an important food pigment.Methods:In the current study, Spirulina platensis was exposed to increasing concentrations of selenate (and without selenate as control). After incubation of miroalgae at predefined time for interaction by this oxyanion, effect of its toxicity was investigated on the amount of essential pigment s content especially phycocyanin. Phycocyanin content was measured according Sharma et al (2014).Results:The results showed that concentration of 10 mg l-1 Se improved the growth rate as compared to the control. Increasing levels of selenate cause changes of PC concentrations.Conclusion:Microalgae assimilate selenite and selenate efficiently into selenoprotein, volatile compounds and Se-amino acids. More precise studies are needed to find the exact physiological and molecular mechanisms invalved in plant reactions to Se.

Keywords:

S. platensis , selenate , phycocyanin