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Microbiology Research
Volume 8
Issue 1
10.4081/mr.2017.6559
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Article

Screening and Partial Purification of Photoprotective Pigment Scytonemin from Cyanobacterial Crusts Dwelling on the Historical Monuments in and around Varanasi, India

by
Jainendra Pathak
,
Arun S. Sonker
,
Richa
,
Rajneesh
,
Vinod K. Kannaujiya
,
Vidya Singh
,
Haseen Ahmed
and
Rajeshwar P. Sinha
*
Laboratory of Photobiology and Molecular Microbiology, Center of Advanced Study in Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Microbiol. Res. 2017, 8(1), 6559; https://doi.org/10.4081/mr.2017.6559
Submission received: 10 May 2016 / Revised: 11 August 2016 / Accepted: 18 August 2016 / Published: 2 May 2017

Abstract

In the present investigation, biological crusts from the surface of eight historical monuments of Varanasi, India, were examined for the presence of scytonemin (a cyanobacterial photoprotective pigment) containing cyanobacterial species. Lyngbya sp. and Scytonema sp. were the dominant cyanobacteria present in all crust samples. The absorption spectroscopic data of chlorophyll, carotenoids and scytonemin showed that scytonemin was more abundant than the carotene and chlorophyll in all the crusts. Identification of these compounds was done using UV-Vis spectroscopy and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of scytonemin in seven out of eight samples and peaks of scytonemin with retention time ranging from 1.4–1.9 min with corresponding absorbance maxima at 386, 300 and 252 ± 2 nm. As per our knowledge this is the first report of its kind from monuments of Varanasi. From this study, it can be concluded that synthesis of photoprotective compounds like scytonemin and its derivatives counteract the damaging effects of solar radiation which enable cyanobacteria to colonize and inhabit almost all kinds of habitats, including extreme lithic habitats, such as rocks and walls of monuments which face prolonged high intensity solar radiation.
Keywords: cyanobacteria; photoprotection; scytonemin; solar radiation; high performance liquid chromatography cyanobacteria; photoprotection; scytonemin; solar radiation; high performance liquid chromatography

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MDPI and ACS Style

Pathak, J.; Sonker, A.S.; Richa; Rajneesh; Kannaujiya, V.K.; Singh, V.; Ahmed, H.; Sinha, R.P. Screening and Partial Purification of Photoprotective Pigment Scytonemin from Cyanobacterial Crusts Dwelling on the Historical Monuments in and around Varanasi, India. Microbiol. Res. 2017, 8, 6559. https://doi.org/10.4081/mr.2017.6559

AMA Style

Pathak J, Sonker AS, Richa, Rajneesh, Kannaujiya VK, Singh V, Ahmed H, Sinha RP. Screening and Partial Purification of Photoprotective Pigment Scytonemin from Cyanobacterial Crusts Dwelling on the Historical Monuments in and around Varanasi, India. Microbiology Research. 2017; 8(1):6559. https://doi.org/10.4081/mr.2017.6559

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pathak, Jainendra, Arun S. Sonker, Richa, Rajneesh, Vinod K. Kannaujiya, Vidya Singh, Haseen Ahmed, and Rajeshwar P. Sinha. 2017. "Screening and Partial Purification of Photoprotective Pigment Scytonemin from Cyanobacterial Crusts Dwelling on the Historical Monuments in and around Varanasi, India" Microbiology Research 8, no. 1: 6559. https://doi.org/10.4081/mr.2017.6559

APA Style

Pathak, J., Sonker, A. S., Richa, Rajneesh, Kannaujiya, V. K., Singh, V., Ahmed, H., & Sinha, R. P. (2017). Screening and Partial Purification of Photoprotective Pigment Scytonemin from Cyanobacterial Crusts Dwelling on the Historical Monuments in and around Varanasi, India. Microbiology Research, 8(1), 6559. https://doi.org/10.4081/mr.2017.6559

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