Phycoerythrin(R-PE)isamongseveralkindsoflight-harvestingphycobiliproteinsfoundinred,blue-green,andcryptomonadalgae.WeofferR-PE,theformfoundinredmacrophyticalgae(seaweed).Afterphycobiliproteinsareconjugatedtosecondaryantibodies,thereislittlefluorescencequenching,whichresultsinconjugatesofhighspecificfluorescencecomparedwithconventionalfluorophore-antibodyconjugates.R-PEcanbeexcitedbylightoverawiderangeofthevisiblespectrumishighlywatersoluble,hasarelativelylowisoelectricpoint,andlackspotentiallystickycarbohydrates.
ItshouldbenotedthattherelativelyhighmolecularweightofR-PEmayprecludeitsuseinproceduresrequiringgoodpenetrationintocellsandtissues.Itispredominantlyintendedforsurfacelabelingofcellsforflowcytometry.
