1979 Volume 99 Issue 10 Pages 1027-1030
Cochliobolus miyabeanus, the pathogenic mold for the leaf spot disease of rice plants, was shake-cultured in a potato medium at 27° for 10 days. A dark brown pigment was extracted from the cultured cells, physical and chemical properties of the pigment were examined, and these properties were compared with those of indole-melanin, extracted from human hair, and of catechol-melanin, extracted from sunflower seeds. It was thereby found that the pigment produced by C. miyabeanus was a melanin, close to the catechol type rather than the indole type from its nitrogen content. However, distribution of molecular weight, solubility, and absorption spectra in the visible and infrared region of this melanin were different from those of other melanins, and it could not be determined definitely as the catechol type.
