Photoprotective role of carotenoids in yeasts: response to UV-B of pigmented and naturally-occurring albino strains

MARTÍN MOLINÉ; DIEGO LIBKIND; MARÍA C DIÉGUEZ; MARÍA VAN BROOCK

JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY

Elsevier

Año: 2009 vol. 95 p. 156 - 161

1011-1344

In this work, the photoprotective role of carotenoids in yeasts was analysed by contrasting the responses to UV-B of pigmented and naturally occurring albino strains of Sporobolomyces ruberrimus and Cystofilobasidium capitatum. Albino and pigmented strains were confirmed to be conspecific by PCR fingerprinting and rDNA sequencing. Experimental exposure to UV-B conducted with both yeast species showed that the pigmented strains were more tolerant to UV-B than the albino strains. These results indicated that carotenoid pigments afford UV-B protection in yeasts.