Exploring The Sub-Aerial Blue-Green Algae for Scytonemin, An UV Screening Pigment for Pharmaceutical Application

The blue-green algae (Cyanoprokaryotes) are considered as one of the most ancient microorganisms. The members of this group are capable to perform oxygenic photosynthesis and evolve oxygen as a by-product and few of them are also capable to perform nitrogen fixation and contribute significantly in ecosystem. Present investigation deals with potential of scytonemin of nine species of sub-aerial blue-green algae i.e. Calothrix braunii, C. kuntzei, Fischerella major, Scytonema chengii, S. insulare, S. tolypothrichoides, Stigonema expansum, Westiellopsis interrupta and W. iyengari. All the species of were collected and isolated from the sub-aerial habitats of Meerut, Western Uttar Pradesh, Bharat, identified and evaluated for harnessing of their potential for scytonemin, UV screening compounds for pharmaceutical applications.