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Dittrich M, Paulo C, Knabe N, Sturm H, Zaitsev V, Gorbushina AA. Microscopic Raman study of fungal pigment using the genetically amenable rock inhabitant Knufia petricola as a model organism. Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc 2023; 303:123250. [PMID: 37625274 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.123250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Fungal pigments such as melanin and carotenoids are distinctive markers of animal and plant pathogenic fungi as well as their environmental relatives. These complex pigments play important roles in pathogenicity and stress tolerance while also being useful as biomarkers. Accordingly, it is important to be able to identify in situ the pigments in black fungi, a group of clinical and environmental importance. In this study, wild-type and genetically modified strains of Knufia petricola A95 and wild fungal cells attached to ancient rock were investigated for their spectroscopic and microscopic Raman features and morphological appearance. Knockout mutants of melanin synthesis genes pks1 (polyketide synthase), sdh1 (scytalone dehydratase), and both pks1 and the carotenoid synthesis gene phd1 (phytoene desaturase) were studied We applied two different Raman microscopes using two lasers, with 633 nm and 488 nm wavelengths. We analyzed and compared Raman spectra between the measured reference substances and the mutant and wild-type strains. In the wild strain WT:A95, the peaks close to melanin peals were found at 1353 cm-1 and 1611 cm-1. There are no characteristic melanin peaks at 1580-1600 cm-1 and around 1350 cm-1 at the spectrum of the Δpks1/Δphd1 mutant and the Δsdh1 mutant. The Δpks1 mutant spectrum has the peaks at the beta-carotene v2 C-C in-plane stretch at 1155 cm-1 and v3 C-CH3 deformation at 1005 cm-1. The peaks of carotenoids and melanin were found in all mutants and the wild strain, except the Δpks1/Δphd1 mutant. Raman spectra allow for discrimination between the various pigments. Hence, interactions between natural fungal melanin, as well as other protective pigments, and complex environmental matrices can be characterized on a range of spatial and temporal scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Dittrich
- University of Toronto Scarborough, 1065 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada.
| | - Carlos Paulo
- University of Toronto Scarborough, 1065 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Nicole Knabe
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
| | - Heinz Sturm
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
| | - Vladimir Zaitsev
- Moscow State University, Physics Department, Leninskie Gory, 1-2, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna A Gorbushina
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany; Freie Universität Berlin, Malteserstrasse 74-100, Berlin, Germany
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2
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Wakamatsu K, Ito S. Recent Advances in Characterization of Melanin Pigments in Biological Samples. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24098305. [PMID: 37176019 PMCID: PMC10179066 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The melanin pigments eumelanin (EM) and pheomelanin (PM), which are dark brown to black and yellow to reddish-brown, respectively, are widely found among vertebrates. They are produced in melanocytes in the epidermis, hair follicles, the choroid, the iris, the inner ear, and other tissues. The diversity of colors in animals is mainly caused by the quantity and quality of their melanin, such as by the ratios of EM versus PM. We have developed micro-analytical methods to simultaneously measure EM and PM and used these to study the biochemical and genetic fundamentals of pigmentation. The photoreactivity of melanin has become a major focus of research because of the postulated relevance of EM and PM for the risk of UVA-induced melanoma. Our biochemical methods have found application in many clinical studies on genetic conditions associated with alterations in pigmentation. Recently, besides chemical degradative methods, other methods have been developed for the characterization of melanin, and these are also discussed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazumasa Wakamatsu
- Institute for Melanin Chemistry, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-192, Aichi, Japan
| | - Shosuke Ito
- Institute for Melanin Chemistry, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-192, Aichi, Japan
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3
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Song W, Xing R, Yang H, Liu S, Li P. Optimization of extractions of eumelanin from cuttlefish ink and the hypoglycemic effects: In vitro enzyme inhibitory activity and glucose consumption in HepG2 cells. J FOOD PROCESS PRES 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jfpp.15868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Wen Song
- AS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega‐Science, Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao China
- Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao) Qingdao China
- School of Earth and Planetary University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Rong‐e Xing
- AS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega‐Science, Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao China
- Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao) Qingdao China
| | - Haoyue Yang
- AS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega‐Science, Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao China
- Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao) Qingdao China
| | - Song Liu
- AS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega‐Science, Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao China
- Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao) Qingdao China
| | - Pengcheng Li
- AS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega‐Science, Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao China
- Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao) Qingdao China
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Yakimov BP, Shirshin EA, Schleusener J, Allenova AS, Fadeev VV, Darvin ME. Melanin distribution from the dermal-epidermal junction to the stratum corneum: non-invasive in vivo assessment by fluorescence and Raman microspectroscopy. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14374. [PMID: 32873804 PMCID: PMC7463016 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71220-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The fate of melanin in the epidermis is of great interest due to its involvement in numerous physiological and pathological processes in the skin. Melanin localization can be assessed ex vivo and in vivo using its distinctive optical properties. Melanin exhibits a characteristic Raman spectrum band shape and discernible near-infrared excited (NIR) fluorescence. However, a detailed analysis of the capabilities of depth-resolved confocal Raman and fluorescence microspectroscopy in the evaluation of melanin distribution in the human skin is lacking. Here we demonstrate how the fraction of melanin at different depths in the human skin in vivo can be estimated from its Raman spectra (bands at 1,380 and 1,570 cm-1) using several procedures including a simple ratiometric approach, spectral decomposition and non-negative matrix factorization. The depth profiles of matrix factorization components specific to melanin, collagen and natural moisturizing factor provide information about their localization in the skin. The depth profile of the collagen-related matrix factorization component allows for precise determination of the dermal-epidermal junction, i.e. the epidermal thickness. Spectral features of fluorescence background originating from melanin were found to correlate with relative intensities of the melanin Raman bands. We also hypothesized that NIR fluorescence in the skin is not originated solely from melanin, and the possible impact of oxidized species should be taken into account. The ratio of melanin-related Raman bands at 1,380 and 1,570 cm-1 could be related to melanin molecular organization. The proposed combined analysis of the Raman scattering signal and NIR fluorescence could be a useful tool for rapid non-invasive in vivo diagnostics of melanin-related processes in the human skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- B P Yakimov
- Faculty of Physics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1-2 Leninskie Gory, Moscow, Russia, 119991
- Medical Research and Education Center, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Lomonosovsky Prospect 27/10, Moscow, Russia, 119991
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Trubetskaya 8-2, Moscow, Russia, 119991
| | - E A Shirshin
- Faculty of Physics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1-2 Leninskie Gory, Moscow, Russia, 119991.
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Trubetskaya 8-2, Moscow, Russia, 119991.
- Institute of Spectroscopy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Fizicheskaya Str., 5, 108840, Troitsk, Moscow, Russia.
| | - J Schleusener
- Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Center of Experimental and Applied Cutaneous Physiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - A S Allenova
- Medical Research and Education Center, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Lomonosovsky Prospect 27/10, Moscow, Russia, 119991
- Division of Immune-Mediated Skin Diseases, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Trubetskaya 8-2, Moscow, Russia, 119991
| | - V V Fadeev
- Faculty of Physics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1-2 Leninskie Gory, Moscow, Russia, 119991
| | - M E Darvin
- Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Center of Experimental and Applied Cutaneous Physiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
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Seo D, Choi KY. Heterologous production of pyomelanin biopolymer using 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase isolated from Ralstonia pickettii in Escherichia coli. Biochem Eng J 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2020.107548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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6
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Pinheiro FL, Prado G, Ito S, Simon JD, Wakamatsu K, Anelli LE, Andrade JAF, Glass K. Chemical characterization of pterosaur melanin challenges color inferences in extinct animals. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15947. [PMID: 31685890 PMCID: PMC6828676 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52318-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanosomes (melanin-bearing organelles) are common in the fossil record occurring as dense packs of globular microbodies. The organic component comprising the melanosome, melanin, is often preserved in fossils, allowing identification of the chemical nature of the constituent pigment. In present-day vertebrates, melanosome morphology correlates with their pigment content in selected melanin-containing structures, and this interdependency is employed in the color reconstruction of extinct animals. The lack of analyses integrating the morphology of fossil melanosomes with the chemical identification of pigments, however, makes these inferences tentative. Here, we chemically characterize the melanin content of the soft tissue headcrest of the pterosaur Tupandactylus imperator by alkaline hydrogen peroxide oxidation followed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Our results demonstrate the unequivocal presence of eumelanin in T. imperator headcrest. Scanning electron microscopy followed by statistical analyses, however, reveal that preserved melanosomes containing eumelanin are undistinguishable to pheomelanin-bearing organelles of extant vertebrates. Based on these new findings, straightforward color inferences based on melanosome morphology may not be valid for all fossil vertebrates, and color reconstructions based on ultrastructure alone should be regarded with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe L Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Paleobiologia, Universidade Federal do Pampa, São Gabriel, 97300-162, Brazil.
| | - Gustavo Prado
- Instituto de Geociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Shosuke Ito
- Department of Chemistry, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan
| | | | - Kazumasa Wakamatsu
- Department of Chemistry, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan
| | - Luiz E Anelli
- Instituto de Geociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José A F Andrade
- Centro de Pesquisas Paleontológicas da Chapada do Araripe, Departamento Nacional de Produção Mineral, 63100-440, Crato, Brazil
| | - Keely Glass
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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7
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Rodríguez-Martínez S, Galván I. Exposure to a competitive social environment activates an epigenetic mechanism that limits pheomelanin synthesis in zebra finches. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:3698-3708. [PMID: 31290207 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Competitive environments promote high testosterone levels, produce oxidative stress and, consequently, impair cellular homeostasis. The regulation of genes involved in the synthesis of the pigment pheomelanin in melanocytes seems to help to maintain homeostasis against environmental oxidative stress. Here, we experimentally increased social interactions in some zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) males by keeping them in groups of six birds during feather growth, while others were kept alone, to test if melanocytes show epigenetic lability under a competitive social environment. As these changes may depend on the oxidative status, we administrated buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) to decrease the antioxidant capacity of some birds. The competitive environment downregulated a gene involved in pheomelanin synthesis (Slc7a11) by changing the level of DNA methylation in feather melanocytes. In other genes involved in pheomelanin synthesis (Slc45a2, MC1R and AGRP), DNA methylation was also affected, but no changes in expression were detected. Exposure to the competitive environment did not affect systemic oxidative stress and damage, indicating that a protective epigenetic mechanism that changes the expression of Slc7a11 may have been activated. However, no changes to the pigmentation phenotype of birds were found, probably due to the short duration or low intensity of the competitive environment. BSO treatment did not affect the epigenetic mechanism, suggesting that the antioxidant capacity of birds was high enough to deal with the competitive environment. An epigenetic mechanism limiting pheomelanin synthesis therefore becomes activated under exposure to a competitive environment in male zebra finches, which may help to avoid damage caused by competitive interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ismael Galván
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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Galván I, Jorge A, Nielsen JT, Møller AP. Pheomelanin synthesis varies with protein food abundance in developing goshawks. J Comp Physiol B 2019; 189:441-450. [PMID: 31104080 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-019-01222-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The accumulation of the amino acid cysteine in lysosomes produces toxic substances, which are avoided by a gene (CTNS) coding for a transporter that pumps cystine out of lysosomes. Melanosomes are lysosome-related organelles that synthesize melanins, the most widespread pigments in animals. The synthesis of the orange melanin, termed pheomelanin, depends on cysteine levels because the sulfhydryl group is used to form the pigment. Pheomelanin synthesis may, therefore, be affected by cysteine homeostasis, although this has never been explored in a natural system. As diet is an important source of cysteine, here we indirectly tested for such an effect by searching for an association between food abundance and pheomelanin content of feathers in a wild population of Northern goshawk Accipiter gentilis. As predicted on the basis that CTNS expression may inhibit pheomelanin synthesis and increase with food abundance as previously found in other strictly carnivorous birds, we found that the feather pheomelanin content in nestling goshawks, but not in adults, decreased as the abundance of prey available to them increased. In contrast, variation in the feather content of the non-sulphurated melanin form (eumelanin) was only explained by sex in both nestlings and adults. We also found that the feather pheomelanin content of nestlings was negatively related to that of their mothers, suggesting a relevant environmental influence on pheomelanin synthesis. Overall, our findings suggest that variation in pheomelanin synthesis may be a side effect of the maintenance of cysteine homeostasis. This may help explaining variability in the expression of pigmented phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismael Galván
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, 41092, Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Alberto Jorge
- Laboratorio de Técnicas Analíticas No Destructivas, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Anders P Møller
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405, Orsay Cedex, France
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Fikiet MA, Khandasammy SR, Mistek E, Ahmed Y, Halámková L, Bueno J, Lednev IK. Forensics: evidence examination via Raman spectroscopy. Physical Sciences Reviews 2019. [DOI: 10.1515/psr-2017-0049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Forensic science can be broadly defined as the application of any of the scientific method to solving a crime. Within forensic science there are many different disciplines, however, for the majority of them, five main concepts shape the nature of forensic examination: transfer, identification, classification/individualization, association, and reconstruction. The concepts of identification, classification/individualization, and association rely greatly on analytical chemistry techniques. It is, therefore, no stretch to see how one of the rising stars of analytical chemistry techniques, Raman spectroscopy, could be of use. Raman spectroscopy is known for needing a small amount of sample, being non-destructive, and very substance specific, all of which make it ideal for analyzing crime scene evidence. The purpose of this chapter is to show the state of new methods development for forensic applications based on Raman spectroscopy published between 2015 and 2017.
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Galván I, Jorge A, Pacheco C, Spencer D, Halley DJ, Itty C, Kornan J, Nielsen JT, Ollila T, Sein G, Stój M, Negro JJ. Solar and terrestrial radiations explain continental-scale variation in bird pigmentation. Oecologia 2018; 188:683-93. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4238-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Galván I, Cerezo J, Jorge A, Wakamatsu K. Molecular vibration as a novel explanatory mechanism for the expression of animal colouration. Integr Biol (Camb) 2018; 10:464-473. [PMID: 29951656 DOI: 10.1039/c8ib00100f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Animal colouration is characterized by the concentration of pigments in integumentary structures and by the nanoscale arrangement of constitutive elements. However, the influence of molecular vibration on colour expression has been overlooked in biology. Molecular vibration occurs in the infrared spectral region, but vibrational and electronic properties can influence each other. Thus, the vibration of pigment molecules may also affect their absorption properties and the resulting colours. We calculated for the first time the relative contribution of molecular vibration (by means of Raman spectroscopy) and concentration (by means of HPLC) of melanin polymers, the most common animal pigments, to generate diversity in plumage colour in 47 species of birds. Vibrational characteristics explained >9 times more variance in colour expression than the concentration of melanins. Additionally, we modelled melanin Raman spectra on the basis of the chemical structure of their constituent monomers and calculated the Huang-Rhys factors for each vibrational mode, which indicate the contribution of these modes to the electronic spectra responsible for the resulting colours. High Huang-Rhys factors frequently coincided with the vibrational modes of melanin monomers. Our results can be explained by the influence of molecular vibration on the absorption properties of melanins. The colour of organisms may thus mainly result from the vibrational properties of their molecules and only residually from their concentration. As a given melanin concentration can give rise to different colours because different structural melanin conformations can present different vibrational characteristics, vibrational effects may favour phenotypic plasticity and thus constitute an important evolutionary force.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismael Galván
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Doñana Biological Station, CSIC, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Javier Cerezo
- Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Alberto Jorge
- Laboratory of Non-Destructive Analytical Techniques, National Museum of Natural Sciences, CSIC, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Kazumasa Wakamatsu
- Department of Chemistry, Fujita Health University School of Health Sciences, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan
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Galván I, Jorge A, García-Gil M. Pheomelanin molecular vibration is associated with mitochondrial ROS production in melanocytes and systemic oxidative stress and damage. Integr Biol (Camb) 2018; 9:751-761. [PMID: 28726920 DOI: 10.1039/c7ib00107j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Vibrations in covalent bonds affect electron delocalization within molecules, as reported in polymers. If synthesized by living cells, the electron delocalization of polymers affects the stabilization of cellular free radicals, but biomolecular vibration has never been considered a potential source of cytotoxicity. Here we show that the vibrational characteristics of natural pheomelanin and eumelanin contribute to feather color expression in four poultry breeds with different melanin-based pigmentation patterns, but only the vibrational characteristics of pheomelanin are related to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mitochondria of melanocytes and to systemic levels of cellular oxidative stress and damage. This association may be explained by the close physical contact existing between mitochondria and melanosomes, and reveals an unprecedented factor affecting the viability of organisms through their pigmentation. These findings open a new avenue for understanding the mechanism linking pheomelanin synthesis to human melanoma risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismael Galván
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Doñana Biological Station - CSIC, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
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Khandasammy SR, Fikiet MA, Mistek E, Ahmed Y, Halámková L, Bueno J, Lednev IK. Bloodstains, paintings, and drugs: Raman spectroscopy applications in forensic science. Forensic Chem 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forc.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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14
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Germond A, Kumar V, Ichimura T, Moreau J, Furusawa C, Fujita H, Watanabe TM. Raman spectroscopy as a tool for ecology and evolution. J R Soc Interface 2018; 14:rsif.2017.0174. [PMID: 28592661 PMCID: PMC5493802 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2017.0174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Scientists are always on the lookout for new modalities of information which could reveal new biological features that are useful for deciphering the complexity of biological systems. Here, we introduce Raman spectroscopy as a prime candidate for ecology and evolution. To encourage the integration of this microscopy technique in the field of ecology and evolution, it is crucial to discuss first how Raman spectroscopy fits within the conceptual, technical and pragmatic considerations of ecology and evolution. In this paper, we show that the spectral information holds reliable indicators of intra- and interspecies variations, which can be related to the environment, selective pressures and fitness. Moreover, we show how the technical and pragmatic aspects of this modality (non-destructive, non-labelling, speed, relative low cost, etc.) enable it to be combined with more conventional methodologies. With this paper, we hope to open new avenues of research and extend the scope of available methodologies used in ecology and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arno Germond
- RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center, 6-2-3 Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan
| | - Vipin Kumar
- RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center, 6-2-3 Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan
| | - Taro Ichimura
- RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center, 6-2-3 Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan
| | - Jerome Moreau
- Université de Bourgogne Franche Comté, UMR CNRS 6656 Biogeosciences, Equipe Ecologie Evolutive, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, Dijon 21000, France
| | - Chikara Furusawa
- RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center, 6-2-3 Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan.,Universal Biology Institute, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hideaki Fujita
- RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center, 6-2-3 Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan.,WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Tomonobu M Watanabe
- RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center, 6-2-3 Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan
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15
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Negro JJ, Finlayson C, Galván I. Melanins in Fossil Animals: Is It Possible to Infer Life History Traits from the Coloration of Extinct Species? Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19020230. [PMID: 29360744 PMCID: PMC5855542 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19020230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Paleo-colour scientists have recently made the transition from describing melanin-based colouration in fossil specimens to inferring life-history traits of the species involved. Two such cases correspond to counter-shaded dinosaurs: dark-coloured due to melanins dorsally, and light-coloured ventrally. We believe that colour reconstruction of fossils based on the shape of preserved microstructures—the majority of paleo-colour studies involve melanin granules—is not without risks. In addition, animals with contrasting dorso-ventral colouration may be under different selection pressures beyond the need for camouflage, including, for instance, visual communication or ultraviolet (UV) protection. Melanin production is costly, and animals may invest less in areas of the integument where pigments are less needed. In addition, melanocytes exposed to UV radiation produce more melanin than unexposed melanocytes. Pigment economization may thus explain the colour pattern of some counter-shaded animals, including extinct species. Even in well-studied extant species, their diversity of hues and patterns is far from being understood; inferring colours and their functions in species only known from one or few specimens from the fossil record should be exerted with special prudence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan J Negro
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Doñana Biological Station-CSIC, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Clive Finlayson
- The Gibraltar Museum, Gibraltar GX11 1AA, UK.
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Scarborough, ON M1C 1A4, Canada.
| | - Ismael Galván
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Doñana Biological Station-CSIC, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
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Polidori C, Jorge A, Ornosa C. Eumelanin and pheomelanin are predominant pigments in bumblebee (Apidae: Bombus) pubescence. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3300. [PMID: 28560094 PMCID: PMC5445944 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) are well known for their important inter- and intra-specific variation in hair (or pubescence) color patterns, but the chemical nature of the pigments associated with these patterns is not fully understood. For example, though melanization is believed to provide darker colors, it still unknown which types of melanin are responsible for each color, and no conclusive data are available for the lighter colors, including white. METHODS By using dispersive Raman spectroscopy analysis on 12 species/subspecies of bumblebees from seven subgenera, we tested the hypothesis that eumelanin and pheomelanin, the two main melanin types occurring in animals, are largely responsible for bumblebee pubescence coloration. RESULTS Eumelanin and pheomelanin occur in bumblebee pubescence. Black pigmentation is due to prevalent eumelanin, with visible signals of additional pheomelanin, while the yellow, orange, red and brown hairs clearly include pheomelanin. On the other hand, white hairs reward very weak Raman signals, suggesting that they are depigmented. Additional non-melanic pigments in yellow hair cannot be excluded but need other techniques to be detected. Raman spectra were more similar across similarly colored hairs, with no apparent effect of phylogeny and both melanin types appeared to be already used at the beginning of bumblebee radiation. DISCUSSION We suggest that the two main melanin forms, at variable amounts and/or vibrational states, are sufficient in giving almost the whole color range of bumblebee pubescence, allowing these insects to use a single precursor instead of synthesizing a variety of chemically different pigments. This would agree with commonly seen color interchanges between body segments across Bombus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Polidori
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
| | - Alberto Jorge
- Laboratorio de Microscopía, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Concepción Ornosa
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Jorge García A, Polidori C, Nieves-Aldrey JL. Pheomelanin in the secondary sexual characters of male parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Arthropod Struct Dev 2016; 45:311-319. [PMID: 27224206 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2016.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2016] [Revised: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/08/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence and distribution of eumelanin and pheomelanin, the most prevalent biological pigments, has been rarely investigated in insects. Particularly yellowish to brownish body parts, which in many vertebrates are associated with pheomelanin, are visible in many insects but their chemical nature was rarely examined to a similar detail. Here, by using Dispersive Raman spectroscopy analysis, we found both eumelanin and pheomelanin in different body parts of male parasitoid wasps of three species of the genus Mesopolobus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), which are known to have species-specific spots and coloured stripes on the legs and/or antennae which are displayed to females during courtship. We found a strong eumelanin signal in the antennal clava of all studied Mesopolobus species and in the circular black spot or callosity and the triangular black projection on the outer apical angle of the typically expanded middle tibia of Mesopolobus tibialis and Mesopolobus xanthocerus. Eumelanin was also the predominant pigment in the black thorax of Mesopolobus and other members of the family. Pheomelanin, on the other hand, was detected as predominant only in certain body parts of M. tibialis and M. xanthocerus, precisely in a very narrow, longitudinal brownish stripe on the middle femur and, only in M. tibialis, in a brownish oval-longitudinal stripe on the middle tibia. The two melanin types co-occurred in most pigmented areas, but more often one is clearly predominant relative to the other, according to the variation of Raman signal intensity of their signature peaks. A further tibial yellowish-orange stripe present in both these species did not include melanins of any type. Pheomelanin, could be more widespread than previously known in insects. A convergent evolution of melanin-based male sexual ornaments between vertebrates (e.g. bird feathers) and wasps can be suggested, opening to a new line of comparative evolutionary studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Jorge García
- Laboratorio de Microscopía, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Carlo Polidori
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales (ICAM), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Avenida Carlos III, s/n, E-45071 Toledo, Spain.
| | - José Luis Nieves-Aldrey
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006 Madrid, Spain.
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Abstract
Melanins are the ubiquitous pigments distributed in nature. They are one of the main pigments responsible for colors in living cells. Birds are among the most diverse animals regarding melanin-based coloration, especially in the plumage, although they also pigment bare parts of the integument. This review is devoted to the main characteristics of bird melanins, including updated views of the formation and nature of melanin granules, whose interest has been raised in the last years for inferring the color of extinct birds and non-avian theropod dinosaurs using resistant fossil feathers. The molecular structure of the two main types of melanin, eumelanin and pheomelanin, and the environmental and genetic factors that regulate avian melanogenesis are also presented, establishing the main relationship between them. Finally, the special functions of melanin in bird feathers are also discussed, emphasizing the aspects more closely related to these animals, such as honest signaling, and the factors that may drive the evolution of pheomelanin and pheomelanin-based color traits, an issue for which birds have been pioneer study models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismael Galván
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Doñana Biological Station-CSIC, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Francisco Solano
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology B & Immunology, School of Medicine and IMIB, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
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Cecere JG, Caprioli M, Carnevali C, Colombo G, Dalle-Donne I, Mancuso E, Milzani A, Parolini M, Portanova A, Saino N, Serra L, Rubolini D. Dietary flavonoids advance timing of moult but do not affect redox status of juvenile blackbirds (Turdus merula). J Exp Biol 2016; 219:3155-3162. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.141424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Flavonoids are the most abundant plant polyphenols, widely occurring in fruits and berries, and show a strong antioxidant activity in vitro. Studies of avian species feeding on berries suggest that dietary flavonoids have health-promoting effects and may enhance the expression of melanin-based plumage traits. These effects are likely mediated by the antioxidant activity of flavonoids. However, the effect of dietary flavonoids on oxidative status has never been investigated in any bird species. We analysed the effects of dietary flavonoids on blood non-enzymatic antioxidants and protein oxidative damage of juvenile European blackbirds (Turdus merula). In addition, we analysed the effects of the flavonoid-enriched diet on body condition and on timing of moult from juvenile to adult plumage. Dietary flavonoids did not significantly affect the redox status but significantly advanced the onset of moult, hastening plumage development. Moulting birds showed higher protein oxidative damage compared to those that had not yet started moulting. The probability to initiate moult after 40 days of dietary treatment was higher for birds with low circulating levels of oxidizing agents and high glutathione concentration. The metabolization of flavonoids could have altered their redox potential, resulting in not net effects on redox status. However, flavonoid consumption before and during moult may contribute to enhance plumage development. Moreover, our findings suggest that moulting feathers may result in redox imbalance. Given their effect on moult and growth of melanin-rich feathers, fruit flavonoids may have contributed to the evolution of plant fruiting time in relation to fruit consumption preferences by birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo G. Cecere
- ISPRA – Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Via Cà Fornacetta 9, I-40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Manuela Caprioli
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Carnevali
- ISPRA – Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Via Cà Fornacetta 9, I-40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Graziano Colombo
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Isabella Dalle-Donne
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Mancuso
- ISPRA – Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Via Cà Fornacetta 9, I-40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Aldo Milzani
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Parolini
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Antea Portanova
- ISPRA – Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Via Cà Fornacetta 9, I-40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Nicola Saino
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Serra
- ISPRA – Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Via Cà Fornacetta 9, I-40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan, Italy
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Sun S, Zhang X, Chen W, Zhang L, Zhu H. Production of natural edible melanin by Auricularia auricula and its physicochemical properties. Food Chem 2015; 196:486-92. [PMID: 26593518 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.09.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2015] [Revised: 09/10/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Fermentation conditions of natural edible melanin by Auricularia auricula were optimized to obtain a high melanin yield and physicochemical properties of melanin were firstly investigated. The results indicated that yeast extract, tyrosine and lactose have significant effects on melanin production. Under the proposed optimized conditions, the melanin experimental yield (2.97 g/L) closely matched the value (3.04 g/L) predicted by the second-order model, which provided a statistically prediction of media in submerged fermentation of A. auricula. The yield achieved was 2.14-fold higher compared to the control. It was firstly revealed that tyrosine could stimulate melanin synthesis in A. auricula. The results showed that this melanin had better thermostability and light resistance, and its solubility was relatively high under alkaline conditions. Zn(2+) and Cu(2+) could result in melanin precipitation. The results should be useful for the efficient production of melanin and enable numerous applications in food, cosmetics, pharmacology, medicines and other fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujing Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaojuan Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenxing Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, People's Republic of China
| | - Liaoyuan Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, People's Republic of China
| | - Hu Zhu
- College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, People's Republic of China; Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, People's Republic of China.
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