Making Pigments with Fungi
Disciplines
Cell Biology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The pigment eumelanin, characterized by a brown-black hue and a plethora of documented properties, has seen a surge of interest in different industries, mainly medicine, cosmetics, and electronics. While natural and synthetic sources of the pigment are currently available, each have their limitations, highlighting demand for a more viable alternative. Wood spalting in nature is typically carried out by white rot fungi and provides a potential mechanism for melanin production. White rot fungi are of particular interest for melanin-production research because they are capable of breaking down lignin with the enzyme laccase, which is excreted through fungal digestion. Current research suggests that laccase is able to catalyze melanin formation, making this fungal group popular for melanin-yield assays. This experiment employs laccase’s extracellular catalytic abilities to synthesize melanin beyond fungal hyphae, reducing the number of purification steps needed to isolate melanin samples. This project uses a series of dual culture plate assays to identify antagonistic effects and fungal-fungal interactions associated with Xylaria polymorpha and Pleurotus ostreatus, the fungi chosen for this experiment. As white rot fungi, these species are expected to demonstrate increased melanin production. X. polymorpha also exhibits a high level of pigmentation that suggests high natural levels of melanin production. In addition to plate assays, this project also features submerged fermentations of encapsulated fungi for facilitation of melanin biosynthesis. Once all data is gathered, melanin yields will be compared between single- and dual-cultures of fungi, and fungal-fungal interactions with be analyzed to reveal the correlation between melanin production and microbial competition.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CSM - Molecular and Cellular Biology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Dr. Christopher Cornelison
Making Pigments with Fungi
The pigment eumelanin, characterized by a brown-black hue and a plethora of documented properties, has seen a surge of interest in different industries, mainly medicine, cosmetics, and electronics. While natural and synthetic sources of the pigment are currently available, each have their limitations, highlighting demand for a more viable alternative. Wood spalting in nature is typically carried out by white rot fungi and provides a potential mechanism for melanin production. White rot fungi are of particular interest for melanin-production research because they are capable of breaking down lignin with the enzyme laccase, which is excreted through fungal digestion. Current research suggests that laccase is able to catalyze melanin formation, making this fungal group popular for melanin-yield assays. This experiment employs laccase’s extracellular catalytic abilities to synthesize melanin beyond fungal hyphae, reducing the number of purification steps needed to isolate melanin samples. This project uses a series of dual culture plate assays to identify antagonistic effects and fungal-fungal interactions associated with Xylaria polymorpha and Pleurotus ostreatus, the fungi chosen for this experiment. As white rot fungi, these species are expected to demonstrate increased melanin production. X. polymorpha also exhibits a high level of pigmentation that suggests high natural levels of melanin production. In addition to plate assays, this project also features submerged fermentations of encapsulated fungi for facilitation of melanin biosynthesis. Once all data is gathered, melanin yields will be compared between single- and dual-cultures of fungi, and fungal-fungal interactions with be analyzed to reveal the correlation between melanin production and microbial competition.