Structural Characteristics of Pheomelanin-Like Pigment from <i>Lachnum singerianum</i>

Melanin was isolated from the mycelium of Lachnum singerianum YM-292 (LSM) by alkaline extraction, acid hydrolysis, and repeated precipitation with a yield of 8.85 g/100 g (dry weight basis). Scanning electron microscopy showed that LSM had a blocky crystal structure with an irregular surface. The percentages of C, H, N, O and S in LSM measured by the elemental analyzer were 54.44%, 6.65%, 8.25%, 24.24% and 6.42%, respectively. Infrared spectroscopy indicated that LSM had a typical indole structure, and 1 H-NMR spectroscopy revealed signal peaks in the aliphatic and aromatic regions. It was concluded that LSM had a structural model of pheomelanin-like pigment.