Monitoring cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins has become increasingly important in Michigan’s Great Lakes. Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, produce hepatotoxic microcystins that are being found in natural waters and drinking water supplies, causing severe risk to ecosystems and human health. High exposure to microcystin causes acute liver failure and even low exposure can lead to tumorigenesis. Whole cell cyanobacteria are harmless to drinking water supplies as they are large enough to be removed by simple filtration. However, upon apoptosis, the cyanobacteria release intracellular microcystin that is more difficult to treat. Monitoring cyanobacteria health and predicting cell death is therefore imperative to most efficiently treat drinking water supplies. Herein, we report the photophysical characterization of phycocyanobilin, which is the chromophoric component of a cyanobacteria’s phycobiliprotein involved in its photosystems. This characterization ex vivo will be correlated to intracellular fluorescence in vivo throughout the cyanobacteria’s lifecycle to probe the ability of using phycocyanobilin fluorescence to predict apoptosis. Phycocyanobilin extraction from wild Great Lakes cyanobacteria, purification, and photophysical characterization will be discussed. Measurements of fluorescence properties of phycocyanobilin in whole cells are reported and these data are compared to ex vivo fluorescence data.

Photophysical characterization of phycocyanobilin to predict in vivo cyanobacteria health

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

[Author Benefits](https://scimeetings.acs.org/?utm_source=pubs_content_marketing&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=0320_MCF_NPI_Launch_Spring_Homepage&ref=pubs_content_marketing)

[How to use SciMeetings](https://storage.googleapis.com/dl.morressier.com/acs/SciMeetings-ACSSpring2020-HowToGuide_M3020-Final.pdf)

[Frequently Asked Questions](https://storage.googleapis.com/dl.morressier.com/acs/SciMtng_ACSNMSp2020_FAQ_M3120_Final.pdf)

ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.