Applied Microbiology · 1971 · 26 citations · 0 references
Life SciencesBiochemistryMicrobiologyDiagnostic MicrobiologyMicrobial EcologyMycologyFungal BiochemistryFungal MetabolismFungal PhysiologyMicrobial GrowthPigment ChangesPigment ProductionAdaptation To Growth MediaFungal Pigment ProductionFungal PigmentationMicrobial Pigment BiosynthesisMicrobial PigmentsMicrobial Production Of PigmentsPigment Production By FungiPigmentation
When 2,3- or 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, and 3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid are added to growth media, they are converted to a characteristic brown pigment by Cryptococcus neoformans. This pigment formation has hitherto been encountered only when this microorganism was cultivated on media containing Guizotia abyssinica seed. This phenomenon can be used for differentiating Cryptococcus neoformans from Candida albicans. Possible precursors of these o-diphenols (quinic acid, aromatic monohydroxy acids, or tyrosine) do not give rise to the brown pigmentation.