Vibrations in covalent bonds affect electron delocalization within molecules, as reported in polymers. If synthesized by living cells, the electron delocalization of polymers affects the stabilization of cellular free radicals, but biomolecular vibration has never been considered a potential source of cytotoxicity. Here we show that the vibrational characteristics of natural pheomelanin and eumelanin contribute to feather color expression in four poultry breeds with different melanin-based pigmentation patterns, but only the vibrational characteristics of pheomelanin are related to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mitochondria of melanocytes and to systemic levels of cellular oxidative stress and damage. This association may be explained by the close physical contact existing between mitochondria and melanosomes, and reveals an unprecedented factor affecting the viability of organisms through their pigmentation. These findings open a new avenue for understanding the mechanism linking pheomelanin synthesis to human melanoma risk.

中文翻译：

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苯丙氨酸分子振动与黑色素细胞中线粒体ROS的产生以及系统性氧化应激和损伤有关

如聚合物中报道的那样，共价键中的振动会影响分子内的电子离域。如果由活细胞合成，聚合物的电子离域会影响细胞自由基的稳定性，但是生物分子振动从未被认为是细胞毒性的潜在来源。在这里，我们显示了天然苯丙氨酸和双甘氨酸的振动特征有助于四个具有不同黑色素色素形成模式的家禽的羽毛颜色表达，但仅苯丙氨酸的振动特征与活性氧的产生有关。黑色素细胞的线粒体和细胞氧化应激和损伤的全身水平。这种关联可以通过线粒体和黑素体之间存在的紧密物理接触来解释，并揭示了一个空前的因素，通过其色素沉着影响生物的生存能力。这些发现为理解将pheomelanin合成与人类黑色素瘤风险联系起来的机制开辟了一条新途径。