Cladosporium cladosporioides LPSC 1088 produces the 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene-melanin-like compound and carries a putative pks gene.
Cladosporium cladosporioides is a dematiaceous fungus with coloured mycelia and conidia due to the presence of dark pigments. The purpose of this study was to characterize the dark pigments synthetized by Cladosporium sp. LPSC no. 1088 and also to identify the putative polyketide synthase (pks) gene that might be involved in the pigment biosynthesis. Morphological as well as molecular features like the ITS sequence confirmed that LPSC 1088 is Cladosporium cladosporioides. UV-visible, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) spectroscopy analysis as well as melanin inhibitors suggest that the main dark pigment of the isolate was 1,8 dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN)-melanin-type compound. Two commercial fungicides, Difenoconazole and Chlorothalonil, inhibited fungal growth as well as increased pigmentation of the colonies suggesting that melanin might protect the fungus against chemical stress. The pigment is most probably synthetized by means of a pentaketide pathway since the sequence of a 651 bp fragment, coding for a putative polyketide synthase, is highly homologous to pks sequences from other fungi.
Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, CCT-La Plata-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Diag 113 y 61, CC 327, 1900 La Plata, Argentina.
Carla
C
Llorente
Alejandra
A
Bárcena
José
J
Vera Bahima
Mario C N
MC
Saparrat
Angélica M
AM
Arambarri
M Fernanda
MF
Rozas
María V
MV
Mirífico
Pedro A
PA
Balatti
D002963:Cladosporium / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000382:microbiology; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009284:Naphthols / Q000737:chemistry; D010802:Phylogeny; D048630:Polyketide Synthases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
C423455:1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene melanin; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D008543:Melanins; D009284:Naphthols; D048630:Polyketide Synthases