title: Melanin in the extracellular matrix of germlings of Botrytis cinerea.
abstract: Previous work on the composition of the extracellular matrix of germlings of the plant pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea demonstrated the presence of carbohydrate, protein, and simple lipids; which, together, comprised 50-60% of the dry weight. Here we show that most of the remaining mass of the extracellular matrix consists of a chemically inert dark pigment with the electron paramagnetic resonance characteristics of a melanin. Scanning electron micrographs of the purified pigment, and transmission electron micrographs of thin sections made using the pigment indicate that it has a filamentous structure. We conclude that melanin is an important component of the extracellular matrix of germlings of B. cinerea. This is the first report of a melanin present in the extracellular matrix of a plant pathogenic fungus.
authors.affiliation: USDA-ARS, Horticultural Crops Research Unit, 3420 NW Orchard Avenue, Corvallis, OR 97330, USA. dossr@science.oregonstate.edu
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Doss
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deisenhofer
authors.forename: Hans Albrecht
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Krug von Nidda
authors.forename: Alfred H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Soeldner
authors.forename: Ruth P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: McGuire
mesh_terms: D020171:Botrytis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry*; D008543:Melanins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins