title: Microbial ultraviolet sunscreens.
abstract: Exposure to the shortest wavelengths in sunlight, ultraviolet light, constitutes a deleterious ecological factor for many microorganisms. The use of secondary metabolites as sunscreens has emerged as an important photoprotective mechanism in certain groups of large-celled microorganisms, such as cyanobacteria, fungi and many protists. In this Review, we describe our current understanding of microbial 'sunscreen' compounds, including scytonemin, the mycosporines and the naphthalene-based melanins. Study of these sunscreens has led to the discovery of new classes of compounds, new metabolic pathways, a deeper understanding of microbial photobiology and the potential for dermatological or biomedical applications.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona                 85287, USA.
authors.forename: Qunjie
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Ferran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Garcia-Pichel
mesh_terms: D056894:Amoebozoa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003512:Cyclohexanones / Q000378:metabolism; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007211:Indoles / Q000378:metabolism; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D010636:Phenols / Q000378:metabolism; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D003512:Cyclohexanones; D007211:Indoles; D008543:Melanins; D010636:Phenols; D013473:Sunscreening Agents; C083368:scytonemin