noun
- Red or pink protein pigments found in red algae and cyanobacteria that absorb light energy for photosynthesis.
Usage: technical; biology; plural form of phycoerythrin
Examples
- Phycoerythrins give red algae their characteristic color.
- The phycoerythrins in cyanobacteria help them capture light in deep water.
- Scientists study phycoerythrins to understand photosynthetic efficiency.
- Phycoerythrins are used as fluorescent markers in laboratory research.
- The concentration of phycoerythrins varies among different algal species.