Effect of glucose concentration on the biosynthesis of prodigiosin by serratia marcescens

Abstract

Serratia marcescens is an enterobacteria which produces a characteristic red pigment denominated prodigiosin. To study the effect of glucose on the kinetics of this secondary metabolite, cultures of Serratia marcescens S10 were incubated at 30 degrees C in the mineral medium GL, with glucose (2 g/l) as the carbon source. Prodigiosin production in relation to glucose consumption is studied, and parallel-wise, the effect of various concentrations of glucose on prodigiosin production. The kinetics data show the close correlation between glucose consumption and the synthesis of prodigiosin. This substrate inhibits the synthesis of pigment in cultures grown on solid medium GL with concentrations of glucose up to 15 g/l.