The radioprotective properties of fungal melanin are a function of its chemical composition, stable radical presence and spatial arrangement

Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research
Ekaterina DadachovaArturo Casadevall

Abstract

Melanized microorganisms are often found in environments with very high background radiation levels such as in nuclear reactor cooling pools and the destroyed reactor in Chernobyl. These findings and the laboratory observations of the resistance of melanized fungi to ionizing radiation suggest a role for this pigment in radioprotection. We hypothesized that the radioprotective properties of melanin in microorganisms result from a combination of physical shielding and quenching of cytotoxic free radicals. We have investigated the radioprotective properties of melanin by subjecting the human pathogenic fungi Cryptococcus neoformans and Histoplasma capsulatum in their melanized and non-melanized forms to sublethal and lethal doses of radiation of up to 8 kGy. The contribution of chemical composition, free radical presence, spatial arrangement, and Compton scattering to the radioprotective properties of melanin was investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography, electron spin resonance, transmission electron microscopy, and autoradiographic techniques. Melanin protected fungi against ionizing radiation and its radioprotective properties were a function of its chemical composition, free radical quenching, and spherical spati...Continue Reading

References

Sep 1, 1992·Pigment Cell Research·L ZeiseM R Chedekel
Jan 1, 1992·BioEssays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology·H Z Hill
Aug 1, 1988·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Y G SalehD G Ahearn
Sep 1, 1984·International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics·E L Travis
Aug 1, 1995·Infection and Immunity·Y WangA Casadevall
Jul 1, 1996·Infection and Immunity·Y WangA Casadevall
Oct 12, 2000·Clinical Microbiology Reviews·E S Jacobson
Oct 18, 2000·Journal of Immunological Methods·A L RosasA Casadevall
May 25, 2002·Pigment Cell Research·Kazumasa Wakamatsu, Shosuke Ito
Aug 17, 2002·Infection and Immunity·Joshua D NosanchukAndrew J Hamilton
Apr 5, 2003·Cellular Microbiology·Joshua D Nosanchuk, Arturo Casadevall
Jan 27, 2005·Fungal Genetics and Biology : FG & B·Arturo Casadevall
Feb 8, 2006·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Susana FrasesArturo Casadevall
Mar 28, 2006·Biophysical Journal·Jennifer RieszPaul Meredith
Nov 7, 2006·Pigment Cell Research·Paul Meredith, Tadeusz Sarna
Nov 14, 2006·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Susana FrasesArturo Casadevall

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jul 19, 2012·World Journal of Microbiology & Biotechnology·Pratibha JalmiSeshagiri Raghukumar
May 23, 2012·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Keely GlassJohn D Simon
Feb 24, 2012·PloS One·Arturo CasadevallMelvin Eisner
Jun 14, 2013·PloS One·Sirida YoungchimNongnuch Vanittanakom
Jan 24, 2014·PloS One·Igor ShuryakEkaterina Dadachova
Sep 3, 2010·Fungal Genetics and Biology : FG & B·Marko Rohlfs, Alice C L Churchill
Mar 22, 2008·Nuclear Medicine and Biology·Robertha C HowellEkaterina A Dadachova
Sep 13, 2012·Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology·A KunwarK I Priyadarsini
Apr 19, 2017·Environmental Microbiology·Radames J B Cordero
Jan 28, 2017·Environmental Microbiology·Claudia PacelliEkaterina Dadachova
Oct 11, 2017·Medical Mycology·Rodrigo Almeida-PaesRosely Maria Zancopé-Oliveira
Jan 10, 2018·Astrobiology·Kamil B StelmachEnrique J G Fernández
Nov 28, 2018·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Qiuming LiuLiping Sun
Jul 25, 2007·FEMS Microbiology Reviews·André L S SantosCeluta S Alviano
Sep 18, 2014·Antonie van Leeuwenhoek·Jutikul KaewmalakulSirida Youngchim
Apr 1, 2015·Current Genetics·Gilberto U L BragaDonald W Roberts
Feb 6, 2020·Environmental Microbiology·Zachary SchultzhausZheng Wang
Aug 19, 2020·Biomaterials Science·Junfei HuYiwen Li
Apr 25, 2019·Scientific Reports·Eliandro Reis TavaresSueli Fumie Yamada-Ogatta
Aug 15, 2017·Microbial Biotechnology·Radames J B CorderoArturo Casadevall
Jul 1, 2017·The Journal of Microbiology·Kwang-Woo JungYong-Sun Bahn
Mar 25, 2020·Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology·Helene C EisenmanCarolyn W McGrail
Jan 12, 2021·Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal·Mackenzie E MaloEkaterina Dadachova
Feb 10, 2021·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Wei CaoNathan C Gianneschi
Nov 18, 2020·Journal of Fungi·Lan Lin, Jianping Xu

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

Current Opinion in Microbiology
Ekaterina Dadachova, Arturo Casadevall
Cellular Microbiology
Joshua D Nosanchuk, Arturo Casadevall
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
Joshua D Nosanchuk, Arturo Casadevall
Pigment Cell Research
Kazumasa Wakamatsu, Shosuke Ito
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved