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Biochemical characterization of sunscreening mycosporine-like amino acids from two Nostoc species inhabiting diverse habitats

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Abstract

We have screened two Nostoc species inhabiting diverse habitats for the presence of sunscreening mycosporine-like amino acid (MAA) compounds. The identification and characterization of one MAA (RT 3.1–3.8 min, λmax −334 nm) from both Nostoc species were performed using absorption spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Shinorine and porphyra-334 were commonly present in both Nostoc sp. strain HKAR-2 and Nostoc sp. strain HKAR-6. Nostoc sp. strain HKAR-2 also showed the presence of an unknown MAAs with retention time of 6.9 min and a corresponding λmax of 334 nm. Present investigation clearly demonstrated the presence of diverse profile of MAAs in the hot spring cyanobacterium in comparison to the rice field isolate. Thus, Nostoc sp. strain HKAR-2 would be a better source for the production of MAAs that can be used as a potent natural sunscreen against UV-B irradiation.

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Abbreviations

ESI-MS:

Electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry

FTIR:

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

HPLC:

High-performance liquid chromatography

MAAs:

Mycosporine-like amino acids

P-334:

Porphyra-334

RT:

Retention time

UV-B:

Ultraviolet-B

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Acknowledgments

Richa is thankful to the Department of Science and Technology for the financial assistance in the form of a fellowship under the project (No. SR/WOS-A/LS-140/2011).

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Photobiology and Molecular Microbiology, Centre of Advanced Study in Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India

    Richa & Rajeshwar P. Sinha

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  1. Richa
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  2. Rajeshwar P. Sinha
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Correspondence to Rajeshwar P. Sinha.

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Richa, Sinha, R.P. Biochemical characterization of sunscreening mycosporine-like amino acids from two Nostoc species inhabiting diverse habitats. Protoplasma 252, 199–208 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-014-0674-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-014-0674-4

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