Photochromic pigments from blue-green algae - phycochrome-A, phycochrome-B and phycochrome-C
Aqueous extracts of blue-green algae were fractionated by electrofocusing. In all algae investigated, fractions with isoelectric points at or near 4.6 showed photochromic behavior analogous to that of phytochrome, although they were sensitive to light of shorter wavelength. Three main types of photochromic pigments were found. Phycochrome a (in Tolypothrix distorta, Phormidium luridium, Nostoc mus