Porphyridium cruentum

{{Short description|Species of red algae}}

{{Taxobox

| image =

| image_alt =

| image_caption =

| domain = Eukaryota

| unranked_regnum = Archaeplastida

| divisio = Rhodophyta

| classis = Porphyridiophyceae

| ordo = Porphyridiales

| familia = Porphyridiaceae

| genus = Porphyridium

| species = P. cruentum

| binomial = Porphyridium cruentum

| binomial_authority = (S.F.Gray) Nägeli

| synonyms = Olivia cruenta S. F. Gray

}}

Porphyridium cruentum is a species of red algae in the family Porphyridiophyceae.

The microalga Porphyridium sp. is a potential source for several products like fatty acids, lipids, cell-wall polysaccharides and pigments . The polysaccharides of this species are sulfated and their structure gives rise to some unique properties that could lead to a broad range of industrial and pharmaceutical applications. Additionally, P. cruentum biomass contains carbohydrates of up to 57% have been reported. Thus, the combined amount of carbohydrates in biomass and exopolysaccharides of this microalga could potentially provide the source for bio-fuel and pharmaceutical.{{Cite journal|doi = 10.2478/s11535-013-0248-z|title = Effects of nitrogen on growth and carbohydrate formation in Porphyridium cruentum|year = 2014|last1 = Razaghi|first1 = Ali|last2 = Godhe|first2 = Anna|last3 = Albers|first3 = Eva|journal = Open Life Sciences|volume = 9|issue = 2|pages = 156–162|s2cid = 10358541|doi-access = free| url=https://research.chalmers.se/publication/189118/file/189118_Fulltext.pdf}} This alga contains phycoerythrin that can be extracted by lyse and chromatography.{{Cite journal|last1=Tang|first1=Zhihong|last2=Jilu zhao|last3=Ju|first3=Bao|last4=Li|first4=Wenjun|last5=Wen|first5=Shaohong|last6=Pu|first6=Yang|last7=Qin|first7=Song|date=2016-07-01|title=One-step chromatographic procedure for purification of B-phycoerythrin from Porphyridium cruentum|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1046592816300183|journal=Protein Expression and Purification|language=en|volume=123|pages=70–74|doi=10.1016/j.pep.2016.01.018|pmid=26851659 |issn=1046-5928}}

The genus Porphyridium has been classified among blue-green, red, and green algae.Copeland, H. F. (1956). The Classification of Lower Organisms. Palo Alto: Pacific Books, p. 41, [https://archive.org/stream/classificationof00cope#page/40/mode/2up].