Diverse Cyanobacteria Resource from North East Region of India for Valuable Biomolecules: Phycobiliprotein, Carotenoid, Carbohydrate and Lipid

Abstract

North east region of India is well known as biodiversity hotspot with endemic flora and fauna. Organisms belonging to the cyanobacterial species are commonly known as blue green algae and are found in diverse categories in the environment of north-east India. Potentials of these cyanobacterial species are mostly unexplored. Present study aimed to isolate, identify and evaluate the potential cyanobacterial strains for the sustainable producers of biomolecules with agricultural, therapeutic and industrial significance.Growth and biochemical characterization were performed with the isolated cyanobacterial species to investigate the growth kinetics, cellular pigments (carotenoid, phycobiliprotein and chlorophyll), protein, carbohydrate and lipid content.Three Phormidium sp., one Oscillatoria sp., and one Microcoleus sp. were isolated from the Tripura state (North-east region of India). Results revealed that isolated Oscillatoria sp. has high lipid (~20%), protein (~40%), and carbohydrate (~30%) yield. Further, two isolated Phormidium sp., produced significant amount of carotenoids (~23 mg/gm dry biomass), phycobiliprotein (~20-25%) and high protein (~55%). Microcoleus sp. produced 62% carbohydrate and 20% phycobiliprotein with significant amount of carotenoids (~17 mg/gm dry biomass).Isolated Oscillatoria sp. is the promising resource for lipid and nutritional supplement due to high accumulated primary metabolites. Two Phormidium sp., can be used as animal and human nutritional food supplement and also can be further investigated for pigment production at industrial scale. Isolated Microcoleus sp. is the potential resource of carbohydrate and pigment. Isolated cyanobacterial strains are identified as viable candidates for the industrial production of biomass as well as other value added biomolecules.