Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41686886›Full record

ArticleScience advances2026

Exploring allomelanin: A comparative analysis via natural product extraction and synthesis.

Sofia Aman, Lauren M Irie, Shengyi Su, Zofia E Siwicka, James J La Clair, Brianna N Kalaj, Elisabeth I Latawiec, Prachi Karanjkar, Michael R Wasielewski, Ali Dhinojwala and 3 more

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Science advances, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Sofia AmanDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.ORCID 0009-0006-4383-8382
Lauren M IrieDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.ORCID 0009-0005-0298-4802
Shengyi SuDepartment of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9367-2054
Zofia E SiwickaDepartment of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-6028-5306
James J La ClairDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0358 USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6500-4107
Brianna N KalajDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0358 USA.
Elisabeth I LatawiecDepartment of Chemistry and Institute for Quantum Information Research and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
Prachi KaranjkarSchool of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA.ORCID 0009-0000-5354-7454
Michael R WasielewskiDepartment of Chemistry and Institute for Quantum Information Research and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2920-5440
Ali DhinojwalaSchool of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3935-7467
Michael D BurkartDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0358 USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4472-2254
Omar K FarhaDepartment of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9904-9845
Nathan C GianneschiDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9945-5475

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Allomelanin is a nitrogen-free class of melanin commonly found in plants and fungi. Although synthetic analogs have been developed from 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene (1,8-DHN), detailed physicochemical comparisons with natural allomelanins remain limited. Herein, we extracted allomelanin from black knot fungus, chaga mushroom, and black oat using an acid-base extraction protocol, comparing them against a library of synthetic analogs derived from a range of putative, natural precursors. Spectroscopic analyses indicate that simple homopolymerization of 1,8-DHN does not adequately represent natural allomelanin structures. Instead, heterogeneous copolymerization of 1,8-DHN with catechol or tannic acid yields materials with physicochemical properties more consistent with natural extracts. This is also supported by their enhanced antioxidant and dye/metal adsorption properties. Like their synthetic counterparts, extracted natural allomelanins exhibit intrinsic porosity, reaching a Brunauer-Emmet-Teller area of 155 square meters per gram, potentially facilitating nutrient transport and toxin adsorption, although further studies will be required to probe this.

Indexed as

Biological ProductsMelaninsAntioxidantsAntioxidantsBiological ProductsMelanins

Identifiers

PMID41686886
PMCPMC12904162

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.