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Characterization of the melanin pigment of a cosmopolitan fungal endophyte

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2004

Trichur S. SURYANARAYANAN ,
Jagadesa P. RAVISHANKAR ,
Govindan VENKATESAN  and
Thokur S. MURALI
Trichur S. SURYANARAYANAN
Affiliation:
Post-graduate & Research Department of Botany, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College, Chennai 600 004, India. E-mail: drtss@vsnl.com
Jagadesa P. RAVISHANKAR
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, D.G. Vaishnav College, Chennai 600 106, India.
Govindan VENKATESAN
Affiliation:
Post-graduate & Research Department of Botany, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College, Chennai 600 004, India. E-mail: drtss@vsnl.com
Thokur S. MURALI
Affiliation:
Post-graduate & Research Department of Botany, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College, Chennai 600 004, India. E-mail: drtss@vsnl.com
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Abstract

Phyllosticta capitalensis (teleomorph Guignardia mangiferae) occurs as a foliar endophyte in woody trees belonging to different families of both temperate and tropical regions. We isolated this endophyte from plants in different habitats, such as mangroves, dry deciduous forest, moist deciduous forest and semi-evergreen forest. This endophyte was found to produce a black pigment that was characterized to be melanin based on UV-visible, IR and ESR spectra and chemical tests. Tricyclazole, a specific inhibitor of pentaketide melanin biosynthesis, inhibited synthesis of the pigment indicating it is a 1-8, dihydroxynaphthalene. This appears to be the first report of such a melanin in Phyllosticta or other foliar endophytes. Melanin in the hyphae of P. capitalensis may be responsible for the success of this fungus as a cosmopolitan endophyte, since melanin is known to enhance the survival capability of fungi in stressful environments.

Type
Research Article
Information
Mycological Research , Volume 108 , Issue 8 , August 2004 , pp. 974 - 978
Copyright
The British Mycological Society 2004

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