Phycoerythrin

In molecular biology, phycoerythrin, like all phycobiliproteins, is composed of a protein part covalently binding chromophores called phycobilins, and organised mostly in a hexameric structure of alpha and beta chains. In the phycoerythrin family, the phycobilins are: phycoerythrobilin, the typical phycoerythrin acceptor chromophore, and sometimes phycourobilin (marine organisms). Phycoerythrins are the phycobiliproteins that bind the highest number of phycobilins (up to six per alpha-beta subunit dimer).