The light-harvesting phycobilisome complex is an important component of photosynthesis in cyanobacteria and red algae. Phycobilisomes are composed of phycobiliproteins, including the blue phycobiliprotein phycocyanin, that are considered high-value products with applications in several industries. Remarkably, several cyanobacteria and red algal species retain the capacity to harvest light and photosynthesise under highly selective environments such as hot springs, and flourish in extremes of pH and elevated temperatures. These thermophilic organisms produce thermostable phycobiliproteins, which have superior qualities much needed for wider adoption of these natural pigment–proteins in the food, textile, and other industries. Here we review the available literature on the thermostability of phycobilisome components from thermophilic species and discuss how a better appreciation of phycobiliproteins from extreme environments will benefit our fundamental understanding of photosynthetic adaptation and could provide a sustainable resource for several industrial processes.

中文翻译：

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来自极端环境的藻胆蛋白及其潜在应用。

集光的藻胆体复合物是蓝藻和红藻中光合作用的重要组成部分。藻胆体由藻胆蛋白组成，包括蓝色藻胆蛋白藻蓝蛋白，被认为是在许多行业中都有应用的高价值产品。值得注意的是，在高度选择性的环境（例如温泉）下，几种蓝细菌和红色藻类物种仍具有捕获光和光合作用的能力，并且在极端的pH和高温下会蓬勃发展。这些嗜热生物体产生热稳定的藻胆蛋白，这些蛋白具有卓越的品质，是在食品，纺织和其他行业中广泛采用这些天然色素蛋白所需的。