Prominent Roles and Conflicted Attitudes of Eumelanin in the Living World
Eumelanin, a macromolecule widespread in all the living world and long appreciated for its protective action against harmful UV radiation, is considered the beneficial component of the melanin family (ευ means good in ancient Greek). This initially limited picture has been rather recently extended a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/9/7783 |
| _version_ | 1797602540211142656 |
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| author | Maria Letizia Terranova |
| author_facet | Maria Letizia Terranova |
| author_sort | Maria Letizia Terranova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Eumelanin, a macromolecule widespread in all the living world and long appreciated for its protective action against harmful UV radiation, is considered the beneficial component of the melanin family (ευ means good in ancient Greek). This initially limited picture has been rather recently extended and now includes a variety of key functions performed by eumelanin in order to support life also under extreme conditions. A lot of still unexplained aspects characterize this molecule that, in an evolutionary context, survived natural selection. This paper aims to emphasize the unique characteristics and the consequent unusual behaviors of a molecule that still holds the main chemical/physical features detected in fossils dating to the late Carboniferous. In this context, attention is drawn to the duality of roles played by eumelanin, which occasionally reverses its functional processes, switching from an anti-oxidant to a pro-oxidant behavior and implementing therefore harmful effects. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:18:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c87ebe73068142139a03d79b46427ec3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:18:27Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-c87ebe73068142139a03d79b46427ec32023-11-17T23:00:32ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672023-04-01249778310.3390/ijms24097783Prominent Roles and Conflicted Attitudes of Eumelanin in the Living WorldMaria Letizia Terranova0Dipartimento Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Roma, ItalyEumelanin, a macromolecule widespread in all the living world and long appreciated for its protective action against harmful UV radiation, is considered the beneficial component of the melanin family (ευ means good in ancient Greek). This initially limited picture has been rather recently extended and now includes a variety of key functions performed by eumelanin in order to support life also under extreme conditions. A lot of still unexplained aspects characterize this molecule that, in an evolutionary context, survived natural selection. This paper aims to emphasize the unique characteristics and the consequent unusual behaviors of a molecule that still holds the main chemical/physical features detected in fossils dating to the late Carboniferous. In this context, attention is drawn to the duality of roles played by eumelanin, which occasionally reverses its functional processes, switching from an anti-oxidant to a pro-oxidant behavior and implementing therefore harmful effects.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/9/7783eumelaninstress responsesradioprotectionradiotropismanti/pro-oxidant behaviourfossil record |
| spellingShingle | Maria Letizia Terranova Prominent Roles and Conflicted Attitudes of Eumelanin in the Living World International Journal of Molecular Sciences eumelanin stress responses radioprotection radiotropism anti/pro-oxidant behaviour fossil record |
| title | Prominent Roles and Conflicted Attitudes of Eumelanin in the Living World |
| title_full | Prominent Roles and Conflicted Attitudes of Eumelanin in the Living World |
| title_fullStr | Prominent Roles and Conflicted Attitudes of Eumelanin in the Living World |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prominent Roles and Conflicted Attitudes of Eumelanin in the Living World |
| title_short | Prominent Roles and Conflicted Attitudes of Eumelanin in the Living World |
| title_sort | prominent roles and conflicted attitudes of eumelanin in the living world |
| topic | eumelanin stress responses radioprotection radiotropism anti/pro-oxidant behaviour fossil record |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/9/7783 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marialetiziaterranova prominentrolesandconflictedattitudesofeumelanininthelivingworld |