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

MOLINÉ, M.; FLORES, R., LIBKIND D., DIÉGUEZ, M. C., FARÍAS, M.E. AND M. VAN BROOCK

Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences

ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY

Año: 2010 vol. 9 p. 1145 - 1151

1474-905X

In this work, the photoprotective role of carotenoids in yeasts was analysed by contrasting the responsesto UV-B of pigmented and naturally occurring albino strains of Sporobolomyces ruberrimus and Cystofilobasidiumcapitatum in different conditions. Albino and pigmented strains were confirmed to be conspecificby PCR fingerprinting and rDNA sequencing. Experimental exposure to UV-B conducted with bothyeast species showed that the pigmented strains were more tolerant to UV-B than the albino strainsand 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. 2009 Elsevier B.V.