RE: Mycology Digest, Vol 44, Issue 2

[Geis, Phil]

Different pigments express different activities. For dematiaceous fungi, the pigment melanin provides photo- and oxidant protection (both in the environment and in surviving phagocytosis). To a limited extent - carotenoid pigments provide photoprotection and also are involved in sexuality of some fungi.

For examples:
The contribution of melanin to microbial pathogenesis
JD Nosanchuk, A Casadevall - Cellular Microbiology, 2003 - Blackwell Synergy

Geis, P.A., and P.J. Szaniszlo. 1984. Carotenoid pigments and photoresistance in Wangiella dermatitidis. Mycologia 76: 270-275

Genes involved in carotene synthesis and mating in Blakeslea trispora.
Kuzina V, Ramírez-Medina H, Visser H, van Ooyen AJ, Cerdá-Olmedo E, van den Berg JA. Curr Genet. 2008 Sep;54(3):143-52. Epub 2008 Aug 2.

Certainly there are other pigments.

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Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:05 PM
To: myco...@magpie.bio.indiana.edu
Subject: Mycology Digest, Vol 44, Issue 2

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Today's Topics:

1. fungi pigmentation question (Teresa Cypher)

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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:54:52 -0800 (PST)
From: Teresa Cypher <cyphe...@yahoo.com>
Subject: [Mycology] fungi pigmentation question
To: myco...@magpie.bio.indiana.edu
Message-ID: <576395....@web38508.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Hi,

I am not sure if I am sending this to the correct address?  I got this address from a site that I visited and read an answer to a question about molds.

If there is anyone there willing to field this question, I would be so grateful.

What purpose does the color pigmentation of a mold serve?  Is it a sign of maturity?

Thanks, so very much :-)

Willow

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End of Mycology Digest, Vol 44, Issue 2
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[Baldwin, Ann M.]

Thanks, Phil.
Any thoughts about the greenish-blue colorants in Penicillium sp? Or magenta produced by some Fusarium sp?
Ann

[Geis, Phil]

The blue-greens - sorry, I don't know but the same melanins as in the dematiaceous fungi are also in A. fumigatus and some others and have the same antioxidant protective role in virulence.

[channing richardson]

Willow,
The pigmentation in most molds is an adaptation to living in sunlight.  UV radiation is very harmful to living cells and the pigmentation in some molds protects their structures such as DNA from UV damage.
Channing Richardson

--- On Wed, 2/11/09, mycology...@oat.bio.indiana.edu <mycology...@oat.bio.indiana.edu> wrote:
From: mycology...@oat.bio.indiana.edu <mycology...@oat.bio.indiana.edu>

Subject: Mycology Digest, Vol 44, Issue 2

To: myco...@magpie.bio.indiana.edu
Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2009, 12:04 PM