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Cited by 95Microbial Metabolism and Applicationsmelanin and skin pigmentationMicrobial Natural Products and Biosynthesis

The enigmatic world of fungal melanin: A comprehensive review

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Suthar, Malika, Dufossé, Laurent, Singh, Sanjay K.·2023·Journal of Fungi
DOI 10.3390/jof9090891PMC PMC10532784
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Abstract

Synthetic dyes are generally not safe for human health or the environment, leading to the continuous search and growing demand for natural pigments that are considered safer, biodegrade more easily, and are environmentally beneficial. Among micro-organisms, fungi represent an emerging source of pigments due to their many benefits; therefore, they are readily viable on an industrial scale. Among all the bioactive pigments produced by fungi, melanin is an enigmatic, multifunctional pigment that has been studied for more than 150 years. This dark pigment, which is produced via the oxidative polymerization of phenolic compounds, has been investigated for its potential to protect life from all kingdoms, including fungi, from biotic and abiotic stresses. Over time, the research on fungal melanin has attracted a significant amount of scientific interest due to melanin’s distinct biological activities and multifarious functionality, which is well-documented in the literature and could possibly be utilized. This review surveys the literature and summarizes the current discourse, presenting an up-to-date account of the research performed on fungal melanin that encompasses its types, the factors influencing its bioactivity, the optimization of fermentation conditions to enhance its sustainable production, its biosynthetic pathways, and its extraction, as well as biochemical characterization techniques and the potential uses of melanin in a wide range of applications in various industries. A massive scope of work remains to circumvent the obstacles to obtaining melanin from fungi and exploring its future prospects in a diverse range of applications.

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  • Melanin acts as a physical barrier, restricting the entry of harmful exogenous substances and maintaining a relatively stable intracellular environment.

    “Additionally, melanin acts as a physical barrier, restricting the entry of harmful exogenous substances and maintaining a relatively stable intracellular environment [85].”

    From Fungal Melanin in Plant Pathogens: Complex Biosynthesis Pathways and Diverse Biological Functions (2025) · cites this paper as [85]

    The Introduction describes fungal melanin as a cell-wall-associated layer that protects fungi against antimicrobial drugs and other stresses. It does not say that this layer restricts the entry of harmful substances or maintains a stable intracellular environment; those mechanisms go beyond what the review states. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Melanin plays a vital role in fungal survival under extreme temperatures by acting as a thermal buffer through heat absorption and scattering.

    “Melanin plays a vital role in fungal survival under extreme temperatures by acting as a thermal buffer through heat absorption and scattering.”

    From Fungal Melanin in Plant Pathogens: Complex Biosynthesis Pathways and Diverse Biological Functions (2025) · cites this paper as [85]

    Section 5.3 (The Role of Melanin in Thermoregulation; page unavailable) reports that melanin helps fungi withstand extreme heat and cold, including findings from comparisons of melanized and non-melanized cells. It does not say that this protection works as a thermal buffer through heat absorption and scattering; Section 5.2 discusses light absorption in photoprotection, not that proposed thermal mechanism. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Suthar, M., Dufossé, L., & Singh, S. K.
Affiliations
  • Agharkar Research Institute (IN)
  • University of Reunion Island (RE)
Corresponding author
  • Dufossé, Laurent
  • Singh, Sanjay K.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Fungi
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2023-08-31
Volume
9
Issue
9
Pages
891
ISSN
2309-608X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/jof9090891
PMC
PMC10532784
OpenAlex
W4386324368
Cited by
95
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 41 · 2025: 38 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 2
FWCI
2.72
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Fungi (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India
  • Conseil Régional de Bretagne
  • Conseil Régional de La Réunion
  • Agharkar Research Institute
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biotechnology › Microbial Metabolism and Applications
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › melanin and skin pigmentation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
Keywords
fungal melanin, natural pigments, melanogenesis, melanin extraction, fermentation optimization, stress protection, biodegradable dyes

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