Abstract
The Microbacterium sp. LEMMJ01 isolated from Antarctic soil does not belong to any of the nearest species identified in the RDP database. Under UV radiation (A, B and C wavebands) the survival fractions of Microbacterium sp. cells were much higher compared with wild-type E. coli K12A15. Especially remarkable for an Antarctic bacterium, an expressive resistance against high UV-B doses was observed. The increased survival of DNA repair-proficient E. coli grown overnight added of 0.1 mg/ml or 1 mg/ml of the whole pigment extract produced by Microbacterium sp. revealed that part of the resistance of Microbacterium sp. against UV-B radiation seems to be connected with photoprotection by its pigments. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that UV-A and UV-B ensued membrane alterations only in E. coli. The APCI-MS fingerprints revealed the diagnostic ions for neurosporene (m/z 580, 566, 522, 538, and 524) synergism for the first time in this bacterium by HPLC-MS/MS analysis. Carotenoids also were devoid of phototoxicity and cytotoxicity effects in mouse cells and in human keratinocytes and fibroblasts.