Complementary UV-Absorption of Mycosporine-like Amino Acids and Scytonemin is Responsible for the UV-Insensitivity of Photosynthesis in Nostoc flagelliforme
Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) and scytonemin are UV-screening compounds that have presumably appeared early in the history of life and are widespread in cyanobacteria. Natural colonies of the UV-insensitive Nostoc flagelliforme were found to be especially rich in MAAs (32.1 mg g DW-1), concent...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2010-01-01
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| Series: | Marine Drugs |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/8/1/106/ |
| _version_ | 1828136535496589312 |
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| author | Donat-Peter Häder Simonetta Pancaldi Manfred Klisch Lorenzo Ferroni |
| author_facet | Donat-Peter Häder Simonetta Pancaldi Manfred Klisch Lorenzo Ferroni |
| author_sort | Donat-Peter Häder |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) and scytonemin are UV-screening compounds that have presumably appeared early in the history of life and are widespread in cyanobacteria. Natural colonies of the UV-insensitive Nostoc flagelliforme were found to be especially rich in MAAs (32.1 mg g DW-1), concentrated in the glycan sheath together with scytonemin. MAAs are present in the form of oligosaccharide-linked molecules. Photosystem II activity, measured using PAM fluorescence and oxygen evolution, was used as a most sensitive physiological parameter to analyse the effectiveness of UV-protection. Laboratory experiments were performed under controlled conditions with a simulated solar radiation specifically deprived of UV-wavebands with cut-off filters (295, 305, 320, 345 and 395 nm). The UV-insensitivity of N. flagelliforme was found to cover the whole UV-A (315–400 nm) and UV-B (280–320 nm) range and is almost certainly due to the complementary UV-absorption of MAAs and scytonemin. The experimental approach used is proposed to be suitable for the comparison of the UV-protection ability in organisms that differ in their complement of UV-sunscreen compounds. Furthermore, this study performed with a genuinely terrestrial organism points to the relevance of marine photoprotective compounds for life on Earth, especially for the colonization of terrestrial environments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:05:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f30112c8b3cf43229c741db9198b9c22 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1660-3397 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:05:54Z |
| publishDate | 2010-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Marine Drugs |
| spelling | doaj.art-f30112c8b3cf43229c741db9198b9c222022-12-22T04:10:20ZengMDPI AGMarine Drugs1660-33972010-01-018110612110.3390/md8010106Complementary UV-Absorption of Mycosporine-like Amino Acids and Scytonemin is Responsible for the UV-Insensitivity of Photosynthesis in Nostoc flagelliformeDonat-Peter HäderSimonetta PancaldiManfred KlischLorenzo FerroniMycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) and scytonemin are UV-screening compounds that have presumably appeared early in the history of life and are widespread in cyanobacteria. Natural colonies of the UV-insensitive Nostoc flagelliforme were found to be especially rich in MAAs (32.1 mg g DW-1), concentrated in the glycan sheath together with scytonemin. MAAs are present in the form of oligosaccharide-linked molecules. Photosystem II activity, measured using PAM fluorescence and oxygen evolution, was used as a most sensitive physiological parameter to analyse the effectiveness of UV-protection. Laboratory experiments were performed under controlled conditions with a simulated solar radiation specifically deprived of UV-wavebands with cut-off filters (295, 305, 320, 345 and 395 nm). The UV-insensitivity of N. flagelliforme was found to cover the whole UV-A (315–400 nm) and UV-B (280–320 nm) range and is almost certainly due to the complementary UV-absorption of MAAs and scytonemin. The experimental approach used is proposed to be suitable for the comparison of the UV-protection ability in organisms that differ in their complement of UV-sunscreen compounds. Furthermore, this study performed with a genuinely terrestrial organism points to the relevance of marine photoprotective compounds for life on Earth, especially for the colonization of terrestrial environments.http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/8/1/106/mycosporine-like amino acidsNostoc flagelliformescytoneminphotosynthesisUV-radiation |
| spellingShingle | Donat-Peter Häder Simonetta Pancaldi Manfred Klisch Lorenzo Ferroni Complementary UV-Absorption of Mycosporine-like Amino Acids and Scytonemin is Responsible for the UV-Insensitivity of Photosynthesis in Nostoc flagelliforme Marine Drugs mycosporine-like amino acids Nostoc flagelliforme scytonemin photosynthesis UV-radiation |
| title | Complementary UV-Absorption of Mycosporine-like Amino Acids and Scytonemin is Responsible for the UV-Insensitivity of Photosynthesis in Nostoc flagelliforme |
| title_full | Complementary UV-Absorption of Mycosporine-like Amino Acids and Scytonemin is Responsible for the UV-Insensitivity of Photosynthesis in Nostoc flagelliforme |
| title_fullStr | Complementary UV-Absorption of Mycosporine-like Amino Acids and Scytonemin is Responsible for the UV-Insensitivity of Photosynthesis in Nostoc flagelliforme |
| title_full_unstemmed | Complementary UV-Absorption of Mycosporine-like Amino Acids and Scytonemin is Responsible for the UV-Insensitivity of Photosynthesis in Nostoc flagelliforme |
| title_short | Complementary UV-Absorption of Mycosporine-like Amino Acids and Scytonemin is Responsible for the UV-Insensitivity of Photosynthesis in Nostoc flagelliforme |
| title_sort | complementary uv absorption of mycosporine like amino acids and scytonemin is responsible for the uv insensitivity of photosynthesis in nostoc flagelliforme |
| topic | mycosporine-like amino acids Nostoc flagelliforme scytonemin photosynthesis UV-radiation |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/8/1/106/ |
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