Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids (MAAs): Biology, Chemistry and Identification Features

Abstract

Mycosporines and mycosporine-like amino acids are ultra-violet-absorbing compounds produced by several organisms such as lichens, fungi, algae and cyanobacteria, especially upon exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation. These compounds have photoprotective and antioxidant functions. Mycosporine-like amino acids have been used as a natural bioactive ingredient in cosmetic products. Several reviews have already been developed on these photoprotective compounds, but they focus on specific features. Herein, an extremely complete database on mycosporines and mycosporine-like amino acids, covering the whole class of these natural sunscreen compounds known to date, is presented. Currently, this database has 74 compounds and provides information about the chemistry, absorption maxima, protonated mass, fragments and molecular structure of these UV-absorbing compounds as well as their presence in organisms. This platform completes the previous reviews and is available online for free and in the public domain. This database is a useful tool for natural product data mining, dereplication studies, research working in the field of UV-absorbing compounds mycosporines and being integrated in mass spectrometry library software.

Seaweed-Based Molecules and Their Potential Biological Activities: An Eco-Sustainable Cosmetics

“…It is a basic building block of almost all cellular processes. It may present itself in the form of enzymes, hormones, vitamins, and pigments [ 164 , 165 ]. Moreover, macroalgae contain different types of aliphatic amino acids, hydroxyl-group-containing amino acid, aromatic amino acid, mycosporine amino acids, etc., which are summarized in Table 2 .…”

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“…Wittenberg (1960) isolated, for the 1 st time, compounds with high UV absorption from a siphonophore, Physalia physalis. [22] In 1965, mycosporines were discovered in fungal sporulating mycelia. [23] A few years later, MAAs have also been detected in corals and cyanobacteria from the Great Barrier Reef.…”

Microalgae as a Source of Mycosporine-like Amino Acids (MAAs); Advances and Future Prospects

“… Different abiotic factors affecting the MAAs biosynthesis in microalgae and cyanobacteria. ( A ) Shikimate pathway and ( B ) Pentose phosphate pathway for MAAs biosynthesis [ 28 , 33 ], ( C ) High salinity/osmotic stress induces high MAAs production-particularly mycosporine-glycine production [ 10 , 29 ], ( D ) High nitrogen concentration induces high MAAs production [ 28 , 31 , 32 ], ( E ) Exposure to UVA and blue light within PAR region of the light spectrum induces high MAAs production [ 27 ], ( F ) Exposure to far-red light upregulates MysA, MysB and MysC genes involved in MAAs biosynthesis–increases MAAs production [ 28 ], ( G ) Exposure to UVB radiation upregulates MysA, MysB, MysC and MysE genes involved in MAAs biosynthesis–increases MAAs production [ 28 ], ( H ) Exposure to UVB rays upregulates nitrate transporter genes nrtA and nrtB in the presence of high nitrogen concentration-increases MAAs production [ 28 ], ( I ) Exposure to far-red light upregulates nitrate transporter genes nrtA, nrtB, nrtC, nrtD and nrtP in the presence of high nitrogen concentration-increases MAAs production [ 28 ]. DHQS–Dehydroquinate synthase, DDGS- desmethyl-4-deoxygadusol synthase, OMT- O-methyltransferase, EVS-epi-valiolone synthase, NRPS- non-ribosomal peptide synthetase, * Genes upregulated by far-red light, # Genes upregulated by UVB radiation.…”