By means of paper chromatography, Lactobacillus casei test and the staining method with the Feulgen reaction, the effects of reserpine and amphetamine on riboflavin and melanin were studied in the liver of Triturus cristatus. It was demonstrated that the concentrations of both melanin and riboflavin can be altered by the influence of these drugs. From the results obtained it is suggested that r...

The Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas , is widely distributed and substantially important to shellfish cultivation. Oysters with melanin-colored shells soft parts are increasingly popular of high economic value. However, the distribution synthesis melanin in C. remains unclear there have been only few relevant studies on it. In this study, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used observe...

Experimental melanin-protein induced uveitis (EMIU) is a CD4 T cell-mediated disease involving the choroid and iris, but sparing the retina. The present study was designed to solubilize uveitogenic antigen from melanin granules without enzymatic digestion, and to investigate some of its elements by comparison with different purified melanin preparations. Many melanin surface-derived polypeptide...

The remarkable mechanical prowess of the jaws of the bloodworm Glycera dibranchiata appears to be a consequence of a robust cross-linked network of organic molecules, notably melanin and proteins, as well as small amounts of unmineralized Cu and a Cu-based mineral. The present study focuses on the role of melanin. Mechanical properties of untreated jaws and the constituent melanin are probed th...

BACKGROUND Bacillus thuringiensis is the most successful biological control agent used in agriculture, forestry and mosquito control. However, the insecticidal activity of the B. thuringiensis formulation is not very stable and rapidly loses its biological activity under field conditions, due to the ultraviolet radiation in sunlight. Melanin is known to absorb radiation therefore photo protecti...

Ionizing radiation is known for its cytotoxic and mutagenic properties. However, recent evidence suggests that chronic sub-lethal irradiation stimulates the growth of melanin-pigmented (melanized) fungi, supporting the hypothesis that interactions between melanin and ionizing photons generate energy useful for fungal growth, and/or regulate growth-promoting genes. There are no quantitative mode...

pathogens such as Colletotrichum lagenarium and Magnaporthe grisea, melanization of appressoria is essential for penetration into the host plant.1) Fungal conidia germinate and the tips of germ tubes differentiate into appressoria, which synthesize melanin. The melanin mediates the buildup of pressure in the appressorium and this high pressure provides the essential driving force for mechanical...

The fungal pathogen Penicillium marneffei produces melanin-like pigment in vitro. The synthetic pathway of melanin and its possible influence in the protective yeast cells surviving within macrophage cells are not known. In this work, P. marneffei produced brown black pigment in the presence of L-DOPA and black particles were extracted from yeast cells treated with proteolytic enzymes, denatura...

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is commonly used as a drug of choice for treatment of pain and fever. Unlike non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) it does not cause gastrointestinal damage or untoward cardiorenal effects, however cutaneous adverse effects have been reported. It is known that paracetamol binds to melanin biopolymers, but the relation between the affinity of this drug to mel...