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. 2021 Apr;20(4):475-488.
doi: 10.1007/s43630-021-00034-w. Epub 2021 Mar 18.

Does the chemistry of fungal pigments demand the existence of photoactivated defense strategies in basidiomycetes?

Bianka Siewert  1
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Does the chemistry of fungal pigments demand the existence of photoactivated defense strategies in basidiomycetes?

Bianka Siewert. Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2021 Apr.

Abstract

The well-known photosensitizers hypericin, harmane, and emodin are typical pigments of certain mushroom species-is this a coincidence or an indication towards a photoactivated defense mechanism in the phylum Basidiomycota? This perspective article explores this hypothesis by cross-linking the chemistry of fungal pigments with structural requirements from known photosensitizers and insights from photoactivated strategies in the kingdom Plantae. Thereby, light is shed on a yet unexplored playground dealing with ecological questions, photopharmaceutical opportunities, and biotechnological potentials.

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