Table 1. Characteristics and gene content of the different pigment types.
| Type I | Type II | Type III (a–d) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance colour | Blue-green | Red | Orange-red |
| Light absorption colour | Red | Yellow-green | Blue-green |
| Absorption maximum | 600–660 nm | 570 nm | 495, 550 nm |
| PBS Phycobiliprotein | PC (cpcBA) | PC (cpcBA) PEI (cpeBA) | PC (cpcBA) PEI (cpeBA) PEII (mpeBA) |
| PBS rod main chromophore | PCB | PEB | PEB/PUB |
| PBS rod linkers | cpcCD | cpeCE, mpeDa | cpeCE, mpeCDEb, mpeFGc |
Abbreviations: PC, phycocyanin; PCB, phycocyanobilin; PE, phycoerythrin; PEB, phycoerythrobilin; PUB, phycourobilin.
a
Lacks PUB-binding domain.
b
mpeC is not present in the type III strain WH7803.
c
mpeFG is only present in some type III strains.