The cyanobacterial UV-absorbing pigment scytonemin displays radical-scavenging activity.
Scytonemin is a 544-Da hydrophobic pigment that can absorb UV-A radiation. It is present in cyanobacterial sheaths and is thought to function as a UV protectant. In this study, scytonemin was purified from the terrestrial cyanobacterium Nostoc commune, and its radical-scavenging activity was characterized. The purified scytonemin quenched an organic radical in vitro and accounted for up to 10% of the total activity of an ethanol extract of N. commune. These results suggest that the extracellular UV-absorbing pigment scytonemin has multiple roles, functioning as a UV sunscreen and an antioxidant relevant to anhydrobiosis in N. commune.
Division of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan.
Kei
K
Matsui
Ehsan
E
Nazifi
Yosuke
Y
Hirai
Naoki
N
Wada
Seiichi
S
Matsugo
Toshio
T
Sakamoto
D000042:Absorption; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D007211:Indoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D050501:Nostoc commune / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D007211:Indoles; D010636:Phenols; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D013473:Sunscreening Agents; C083368:scytonemin