Melatonin Synthesis and Function: Evolutionary History in Animals and Plants

• Published in: Frontiers in endocrinology (Lausanne) Vol. 10; p. 249
• Main Authors: Zhao, Dake, Yu, Yang, Shen, Yong, Liu, Qin, Zhao, Zhiwei, Sharma, Ramaswamy, Reiter, Russel J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 17.04.2019
• Subjects: antioxidant; biological rhythms; biosynthesis enzymes; Endocrinology; endosymbiosis; evolution; melatonin; antioxidant; regulation of melatonin; biological rhythms; biosynthesis enzymes; endosymbiosis; evolution; melatonin

Melatonin is an ancient molecule that can be traced back to the origin of life. Melatonin's initial function was likely that as a free radical scavenger. Melatonin presumably evolved in bacteria; it has been measured in both α-proteobacteria and in photosynthetic cyanobacteria. In early evoluti...