PMID: 9181522Mar 1, 1997Paper

Melatonin production in an aerobic photosynthetic bacterium: an evolutionarily early association with darkness

Journal of Pineal Research
A R TildenA K McGaw

Abstract

Melatonin was measured in a species of aerobic photosynthetic bacteria, Erythrobacter longus, grown in either constant light or constant dark. A radioimmunoassay was used to quantify melatonin levels and thin-layer chromatography to confirm the identity of melatonin immunoactivity. Melatonin levels were significantly higher (nearly 2.3-fold) in the dark-grown than in the light-grown samples. Also, the homogenates of the dark-grown bacteria retained melatonin-producing enzymatic activity, whereas the light-grown homogenates did not; melatonin levels extracted from the dark-grown homogenates increased with increasing extraction time, reaching as high as 29.2 ng.mg-1 protein at 120 min. Removal of membrane fragments from homogenates did not influence melatonin levels in light-grown homogenate, but this procedure increased melatonin levels in dark-grown homogenate, indicating that at least some of the enzymes in the pathway of melatonin production are not membrane-bound. This study is the second to demonstrate the presence of melatonin at the prokaryotic level, supporting the evidence that melatonin appeared very early in evolution. Its function in prokaryotes has not been determined, but may relate to its antioxidative actions.

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Citations

Oct 14, 1998·Progress in Neurobiology·R J Reiter
Feb 3, 2007·Visual Neuroscience·Per O LundmarkDaniel P Cardinali
Jun 13, 2000·Cancer Biotherapy & Radiopharmaceuticals·A M BerghellaD Adorno
Oct 22, 2011·Journal of Experimental Botany·Dun-Xian TanRussel J Reiter
May 18, 2001·General and Comparative Endocrinology·A R TildenS Wilson
Aug 27, 2014·Trends in Plant Science·Marino B Arnao, Josefa Hernández-Ruiz
Oct 27, 2015·Molecules : a Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry·Dun-Xian TanRussel J Reiter
Jul 29, 2009·Critical Reviews in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology·Russel J ReiterDan-Xian Tan
Sep 24, 1998·Journal of Pineal Research·D X TanG H El-Sokkary
Sep 25, 1999·Journal of Pineal Research·M MacíasD Acuña-Castroviejo
Aug 2, 2006·Journal of Pineal Research·Carsten Pape, Klaus Lüning
May 21, 2013·Electrophoresis·Federico José Vicente GomezSoledad Cerutti
Jun 20, 2014·Journal of Pineal Research·Dun-Xian TanRussel J Reiter
Jun 9, 2004·Life Sciences·Josefa LeonRussel J Reiter
Jan 27, 1999·Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications·D X TanA M Shepherd
Dec 22, 2016·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Dun-Xian TanRussel J Reiter
May 16, 2002·Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology· VijayalaxmiTerence S Herman
Feb 19, 2017·British Journal of Pharmacology·Wei HuYang Yang
Apr 4, 2013·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Russel J ReiterDun-Xian Tan
Aug 15, 2018·Molecules : a Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry·Juan C MayoRosa M Sáinz
Sep 27, 2018·Journal of Pineal Research·Mukesh Kumar KanwarJie Zhou
Jan 29, 2005·FASEB Journal : Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology·Andrzej SlominskiDesmond J Tobin
May 16, 2020·Journal of Experimental Botany·Dun-Xian Tan, Russel J Reiter
Aug 22, 2018·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Russel J ReiterDario Acuna-Castroviejo
Jul 19, 2020·Experimental Dermatology·Pierre-Jean RacineMarc G J Feuilloley
Mar 29, 2003·Journal of Pineal Research·Rüdiger Hardeland, Burkhard Poeggeler
Dec 18, 2002·Journal of Pineal Research·Dun-Xian TanRussel J Reiter
Aug 23, 2017·Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS·Juan C MayoRafael Cernuda-Cernuda
Aug 13, 2003·Journal of Experimental Zoology. Part A, Comparative Experimental Biology·Andrea R TildenKristy T Thurston
Oct 28, 2020·Journal of Pineal Research·Jean A Boutin, Ralf Jockers
May 20, 2021·Journal of Experimental Botany·Stefano NegriFlavia Guzzo
Apr 7, 2020·Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry·Zhiluo QueXiangyu Sun

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