Photo-protective role of carotenoid pigments in yeasts: experimental study contrasting naturally occurring pigmented and albino strains.

MOLINÉ, M; LIBKIND, DIEGO; SAMPAIO, JP; VAN BROOCK, M.

JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY

ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA

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 in different conditions. 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 and that the increment in carotenoid contents during the stationary growth phase enhance survivorship. These results indicated that carotenoid pigments afford UV-B protection in yeasts.