Carotenoid Pigments of the Dematiaceous Fungus Wangiella dermatitidis

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Abstract
The synthesis of carotenoid pigments by W. dermatitidis was demonstrated with both wild-type (wt) and melanin-deficient (Mel-) strains. The carotenoids synthesized included torulene and torularhodin and their syntheses were shown to require photoinduction. Illuminated incubation of a Mel- strain provided carotenoid-pigmented cells which were more resistant to UV irradiation than dark-incubated, nonpigmented cells. Both the wt and Mel- strains were capable of photoreactivation following exposure to UV light. These data describe the 1st observation of carotenoid synthesis by one of the dematiaceous yeasts and suggest that these pigments may have some role in photoprotection.