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A comparison of protein extraction methods optimizing high protein yields from marine algae and cyanobacteria

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Abstract

Algae are a diverse group of aquatic autotrophs that represent important models for studying morphology, physiology, and molecular biology. Many, because of their adaptation to the marine environment, cell wall composition, and secondary metabolites, present difficulties when trying to extract significant amounts of protein for analyses. In this study, we compared protein extraction methods for 39 different species of marine algae and cyanobacteria. Since successful protein detection requires the liberation of protein from a cell, the goal of the current investigation was to establish a high yield protein extraction method that would allow for protein extraction from different organisms ranging from cyanobacteria, unicellular, multicellular, and coenocytic algae. Six protein extraction assays were tested (three from literature citations and three from commercially available kits). A modification of the technique originally described by Barbarino and Lourenço (J Appl Phycol 17:447–460, 2005) displayed significantly higher yields (p > 0.001, average of 6.7–30.87% dry weight) in all algal and cyanobacterial species examined. Protein yields using this modified procedure were especially successful in the Trebouxiophyceae, Bangiophyceae, Phaeophyceae, and Cyanobacteria.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank West Chester University of Pennsylvania for the financial support of this project through a College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Development Award and a Biology Cullen-Triano Award to SAB. We would also like to thank the Chincoteague Bay Field Station and Dr. Sean Cornell (Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania) for their help with algal collections and Dr. Clinton Dawes, University of South Florida Tampa, Florida, for the help with algal taxonomy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, West Chester University, 750 S. Church Street, West Chester, PA, 19383, USA

    Lacey M. Field, Kayla K. Gatto & S. Anne Böttger

  2. Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, 46 College Rd, Durham, NH, 03824, USA

    Wayne R. Fagerberg

Authors
  1. Lacey M. Field
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  2. Wayne R. Fagerberg
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  3. Kayla K. Gatto
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  4. S. Anne Böttger
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Correspondence to S. Anne Böttger.

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Field, L.M., Fagerberg, W.R., Gatto, K.K. et al. A comparison of protein extraction methods optimizing high protein yields from marine algae and cyanobacteria. J Appl Phycol 29, 1271–1278 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-016-1027-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-016-1027-9

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