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Some interesting knowledge on bacterium that can produce pigments, and how are they useful to us humans?
Serratia marcescens is a gram-negative, facultatively-anaerobic, bacilli bacterium and opportunistic pathogen which produces the red pigment prodigiosin. Colonies often appear opaque, somewhat iridescent, white, pink, magenta or red. Cultures can produce two kinds of odours, a fishy to urinary odour or a musty, potato-like odour. The bacterium is mostly motile through petrichious flagella. These bacteria are widely distributed in the environment, digestive tracts of rodents and insects and are opportunistic pathogens for hospitalized humans. Regarding pathogenicity, S. marcescens cause many extraintestinal infections and many nosocomial outbreaks through blood transfusions, surgery, and the urinary tract.
Prodigiosin is the red pigment produced by many strains of the bacterium Serratia marcescens, as well as other Gram-negative, gamma proteobacteria such as Vibrio psychroerythrus and Hahella chejuensis. It is responsible for the pink tint occasionally found in grime that accumulates on porcelain surfaces such as bathtubs, sinks, and toilet bowls. It is in the prodiginines family of compounds which are produced in some Gram-negative gamma proteobacteria, as well as select Gram-positive Actinobacteria (e.g. Streptomyces coelicolor).
The toxicity problems caused by those of synthetic origin pigments to the environment have created a mounting interest towards natural pigments. Among natural pigments, pigments from microbial sources are potentially good alternative ones to synthetic pigments. Prodigiosin, the bright red pigment produced by organisms of the genus Serratia, is among the more conspicuous pigments extant in the microbial world. The chemical nature of prodigiosin continues to be the subject of extensive study and it has been defined as a tri-pyrrylmethene. The rather rapid production of a flashy red pigment, which did not escape the observation of men before they had any inkling of the nature of microbial growth, can now is understood in terms of prodigiosin production. The prodigiosin pigments have intrigued organic chemists and pharmacologists and may yet play roles in the treatment of infectious diseases such as malaria and as immunosuppressant agents. However, a major reason for much of the continuing curiosity in
the prodigiosin / Serratia story is the theory that these viscous, crimson bacterial colonies provide a naturalistic explanation. This review article highlights the characteristics and potential of prodigiosin pigment from Serratia.
Since a decade, there has been a strong consumer demand for more natural products. This has augmented inclination towards substitution of synthetic colorants with natural pigments. Natural pigments not only have the capacity to increase the marketability of products, they also demonstrate valuable biological activities as antioxidants and anticancer agents. There is a long history of exploitation of natural products produced by bacteria as sources of pharmaceutically important, bioactive compounds. Among natural pigments, pigments from microbial sources are potentially suitable alternatives to synthetic pigments. The red pigment prodigiosin (PG) has unusual properties, which have long been documented. The red-pigmented prodiginines are bioactive secondary metabolites produced by both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Prodigiosins are characterized by a common pyrrolyl pyrromethene skeleton, and the biological role of these pigments in the producer organisms remains unclear. Bacterial prodigiosins and their synthetic derivatives are effective proapoptotic agents against various cancer cell lines, with multiple cellular targets including multi-drug resistant cells with little or no toxicity towards normal cell lines. However, research into the biology of pigment production will stimulate interest in the bioengineering of strains to synthesize useful prodiginine derivatives. This review article highlights the characteristics and potential applications of prodigiosin pigment from Serratia as prodigiosins are real potential therapeutic drugs.
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Pigments are compounds that are widely used in industries that come in a wide variety
of colors, some of which are water–soluble. Nontoxic nature of pigment produced
by a number of microorganisms make them environmentally friendly for utilization
in dye, foodstuff, pharmacy, cosmetics and other industrial purposes. Moreover
natural pigments produced from biological origin have medicinal importance as been
used as antioxidant, antimicrobial, additives, color intensifiers, and anticancer as
well as economically friendly. Some of Bacteria capable of producing pigment with
different varieties of colors are Agrobacterium aurantiacum, Staphylococcus aureus,
Chromobacterium violaceum, Serratia marcescens, Bacillus Spp, Flavobacterium sp,
etc. colors are Pink–red, Golden Yellow, Purple, red, Creamy and yellow respectively.
Industrial production of natural food colorants by microbial fermentation has several
advantages such as cheaper production, easier extraction, higher yields through strain
improvement, no lack of raw materials and no seasonal. Therefore the present study
aimed at reviewing pigment produced by bacteria and its significance.
