title: Role of pigmentation in protecting Aspergillus niger conidiospores against pulsed light radiation.
abstract: The photoprotective potential of fungus pigments was investigated by irradiating conidiospores of three Aspergillus niger strains possessing the same genetic background, but differing in their degree of pigmentation with pulsed light (PL) and monochromatic (254 nm) UV-C radiation. Spores of A. niger MA93.1 and JHP1.1 presenting, respectively, a fawn and a white pigmentation were more sensitive to PL and continuous UV-C radiation than the wild-type A. niger strain N402 possessing a dark pigment. Both spores of the dark A. niger N402 and the fawn-color mutant were equally resistant to moist heat at 56°C while spores of the white-color mutant were highly sensitive. These results indicate that melanin protects pigmented spores of A. niger from PL.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR408 Sécurité et Qualité des Produits d'Origine Végétale, Avignon, France.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Esbelin
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mallea
authors.forename: Arthur F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carlin
mesh_terms: D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006813:Humidity; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000528:radiation effects; D010858:Pigmentation; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins