Protein Cohabitation: Improving the Photochemical Stability of R-Phycoerythrin in the Solid State

J Phys Chem Lett. 2020 Aug 6;11(15):6249-6255. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c01491. Epub 2020 Jul 22.

Abstract

The poor photochemical stability of R-phycoerythrin (R-PE) has been a bottleneck for its broad-spectrum applications. Inspired by nature, we studied a sustainable strategy of protein cohabitation to enhance R-PE stability by embedding it in a solid matrix of gelatin. Both pure R-PE and fresh phycobiliprotein (PBP) extracts recovered from Gracilaria gracilis were studied. The incorporation of R-PE in the gelatin-based films (gelatin-RPE and gelatin-PBPs) has improved its photochemical stability for at least 8 months, the longest time period reported so far. These results were evidenced by not only absorption but also emission quantum yield measurements (Φ). Moreover, the photostability of gelatin-RPE films upon continuous excitation with an AM1.5G solar simulator was tested and found to remain stable for 23 h after initial decreasing up to 250 min. In the end, another approach was established to allow 100% photostability for a 3 h exposure to an AM1.5G solar simulator by doping the gelatin-based film including R-Phycoerythrin with n-propyl gallate stabilized with Tween 80, allowing their use as naturally based optically active centers in photovoltaic applications.

MeSH terms

  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
  • Gelatin / chemistry
  • Gracilaria / chemistry*
  • Kinetics
  • Photochemical Processes
  • Photosynthesis
  • Phycoerythrin / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry*
  • Polysorbates / chemistry
  • Propyl Gallate / chemistry
  • Protein Stability / radiation effects
  • Singlet Oxygen / chemistry
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Temperature
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Plant Extracts
  • Polysorbates
  • Phycoerythrin
  • Singlet Oxygen
  • Propyl Gallate
  • Gelatin