Taborda Carlos P, da Silva Marcelo B, Nosanchuk Joshua D, Travassos Luiz R
Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Microbiology, University of São Paulo, Ave. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, 2 andar, São Paulo, SP 05508-900, Brazil.
Mycopathologia. 2008 Apr-May;165(4-5):331-9. doi: 10.1007/s11046-007-9061-4.
Melanin pigments are substances produced by a broad variety of pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and helminths. Microbes predominantly produce melanin pigment via tyrosinases, laccases, catecholases, and the polyketide synthase pathway. In fungi, melanin is deposited in the cell wall and cytoplasm, and melanin particles ("ghosts") can be isolated from these fungi that have the same size and shape of the original cells. Melanin has been reported in several human pathogenic dimorphic fungi including Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, Sporothrix schenckii, Histoplasma capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitidis, and Coccidioides posadasii. Melanization appears to contribute to virulence by reducing the susceptibility of melanized fungi to host defense mechanisms and antifungal drugs.
黑色素是由多种致病微生物产生的物质，包括细菌、真菌和蠕虫。微生物主要通过酪氨酸酶、漆酶、儿茶酚酶和聚酮合酶途径产生黑色素。在真菌中，黑色素沉积在细胞壁和细胞质中，并且可以从这些真菌中分离出与原始细胞大小和形状相同的黑色素颗粒（“幽灵”）。在几种人类致病双相真菌中已报道有黑色素，包括巴西副球孢子菌、申克孢子丝菌、荚膜组织胞浆菌、皮炎芽生菌和波萨达斯球孢子菌。黑色素化似乎通过降低黑色素化真菌对宿主防御机制和抗真菌药物的敏感性来促进毒力。
