Comparative evaluation of multiple protein extraction procedures from three species of the genus Caulerpa

Abstract

The aim of this study was to define the simplest and least expensive protocol for total protein extraction for three different macroalgae of the genus Caulerpa (the invasive C. taxifolia and C. cylindracea and the autochthonous C. prolifera). Five multi-step protein extraction procedures, set up for other macroalgal species, were tested. For each of them, different pre-treatment and extraction conditions were simultaneously examined, according to a factorial design, considering the starting material, the solvent-to-biomass ratio, and the incubation temperature. Protein yield in the obtained extracts was estimated with the Bradford method. Further, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was used to resolve proteins, assessing their quality and integrity. Significant differences in protein yield were observed among the extraction protocols and the conditions tested, also in relation to the considered species. Profiles having an acceptable quality were obtained for C. prolifera and C. cylindracea, and from the obtained results, the best method to obtain high yield and quality protein extracts for the two above-mentioned species appears to require the use of a primary TCA/acetone extraction buffer followed by a lysis buffer with NaCl, KCl, urea, Triton, SDS and a protease inhibitor. The best results, in particular, were obtained starting from fresh pulped material with a buffer-to-biomass ratio of 10:1 and an incubation temperature of 4°C. For C. taxifolia, instead, none of the tested protocols produced satisfactory results and further studies will be required.

Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction and Antioxidant Potential of Valuable Protein from Ulva rigida Macroalgae

“…An adequate quantity of solvent is necessary to dissolve the biomass ingredients and fragmented chemical species to aid in the decomposition of biomass components and conversion to a liquid product [ 46 ]. Our results indicated a suitable biomass–solvent ratio of 1:10 for protein extraction from green U. rigida macroalgae, comparable to previous studies of the genus Caulerpa [ 47 ]. The biomass-solvent ratio affects protein extractability [ 48 ].…”

Physico-chemodiversity variation between the most common calcareous red seaweed, Eastern Harbor, Alexandria, Egypt

“…The algal protein fractionation contents were significantly different between species at (P < 0.05) , albumin and protamine fractions which are soluble in water and ethyl alcohol, respectively were the highest in J. rubens specimens (45.11 ± 2.29 mg g −1 & 0.0014 ± 0.0007 mg g −1 DW, respectively) than other species. Globulin (31.70 ± 1.90 mg g −1 DW) and glutilin extractions by NaCl and NaOH, respectively (41.93 ± 2.20 mg g −1 DW, respectively) were high in A. rigida , while, insoluble protein fraction was high in C. officinalis (9.50 ± 0.50 mg g −1 DW), these variations may be related to many reasons as, method of fractionation, differences extraction conditions (such as incubation temperature, time, and ratio of solvent to biomass) also, the chemical composition, the morphology (especially thallus forms) of these species, as well as, different solubility and polarity of the solvents used ( Caronni et al., 2021 ).…”