Question

Wavelenght of light absorbes by phycoerythrin

Answer 1

Absorption peaks in the visible lightspectrum are measured at 495 and 545/566 nm, depending on the chromophores bound and the considered organism. A strong emission peak exists at 575 ± 10 nm. (i.e., phycoerythrin absorbs slightly blue-green/yellowish light and emits slightly orange-yellow light.)

Answer 2

In many microalgae additional light harvesting pigments are bound, which absorb light in the green spectrum (especially carotenoids like e.g. fucoxanthin or peridin). Even in green algae, absorption is not completely zero in the green range, and in a dense bloom also light of this wavelength is absorbed.

In red alge and cryptophytes, phycobiline pigments harbour light, and these pigments absorb in the green. Moreover, some of the phycobilines are better suited to absorb in the green than others. In a process called chromatic adaptation, the ratios of these pigments are shifted depending on the light environment.