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Photoprotection by carotenoid pigments in the yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa: the role of torularhodin

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Abstract

In this paper we report the relationship between carotenoids and ergosterol and cell UV-B resistance in different strains of the yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. Cell survival was studied using a set of 13 strains; additionally, two mutants (a hyper-producing one and a colourless one) in combination with diphenylamine (DPA), a carotenogenesis inhibitor, were used. A positive correlation between total carotenoids and survival to UV-B radiation was found. However, when individual carotenoid concentrations were tested, only torularhodin was found to be significantly related to UV-B survival. On the contrary, ergosterol did not affect survival. The hyper-pigmented strain showed an enhanced survival (up to 250%) compared to the parental strain, while the survival of the albino mutant was similar to that experienced by the parental strain; however, observed changes in survival were dose dependent. The cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs), one of the major forms of DNA damage caused by UV exposure, appears as unrelated to the accumulation of carotenoids and cell survival. These results indicate that bearing higher torularhodin concentrations enhances UV-B survival in yeasts and, thus, the accumulation of this pigment constitutes an important mechanism that improves the resistance of yeasts to UV-B.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medio Ambiente, INIBIOMA (CONICET-UNComahue), Quintral 1250, 8400, San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina

    Martín Moliné, Diego Libkind & María van Broock

  2. Laboratorio de Fotobiología. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medio Ambiente, INIBIOMA (CONICET-UNComahue), Quintral 1250, 8400, San Carlos de Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina

    María del Carmen Carmen Diéguez

  3. Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiologicas en Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA) - Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CONICET, Tucumán, Argentina

    María Regina Flores & María Eugenia Farías

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  1. Martín Moliné
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  4. María del Carmen Carmen Diéguez
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Moliné, M., Flores, M.R., Libkind, D. et al. Photoprotection by carotenoid pigments in the yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa: the role of torularhodin. Photochem Photobiol Sci 9, 1145–1151 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1039/c0pp00009d

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