Immobilization of photosynthetically active cyanobacteria in glutaraldehyde-crosslinked albumin matrix

Summary Cryoprotection was afforded to cells ofPhormidium luridum andAnacystis nidulans by preloading them with dimethyl sulphoxide and then performing the immobilization reaction in dimethyl sulphoxide-free medium. Compared with free cyanobacteria cells, matrix-immobilized cyanobacteria exhibit superior temperature tolerance and storage longevity of photoinduced electron transport, while their phycobiliproteins are better protected against thermal denaturation. Photosynthetically activePhormidium spheroplasts capable of interacting with ionic Hill cofactors, were immobilized in crosslinked albumin matrix, with cryoprotection provided by sorbitol.