Inhibition of Pigment Formation of Serratia marcescens by Chloramphenicol, Aureomycin, and Terramycin

Abstract

The production of red pigment ("prodigiosin") by Serratia marcescens is subject to spontaneous variatilon ( 1,2 ) , which presumably is genetically controlled. Moreover, pigment formation depends on certain external factors, such as temperature and the supply of magnesium and iron (3,4). Glutamic acid has just been identified by Weinberg (5) as an inhibitor of pigment production. A similar effect of chloramphenicol (chloromycetin) , aureomycin, and terramycin is here described.Methods. Four strains of prodigiosus bacilli were collected in this hospital during the summer of 1951. The fifth strain used was originally obtained from Dr. E. C. Roberts of St. Louis(7,8). The organisms were grown on 2 % nutrient agar (Baltimore Biological Laboratories), pH 7,3. Temperature is not critical between 20°C and 37°C. Commercially prepared disks (Difco) were employed according to the method recently described( 6) for preliminary tests with chloromycetin, aureomycin, terramycin, penicillin, streptomycin, di-hydrostreptomycin, and bacitracin. More quantitative tests were done on agar slants containing weighed amounts of antibiotic* covering a wide range of concentrations in 2-fold steps. The slants were inoculated immediately after preparation, except in some experiments, where duplicates were left at room temperature (Approximately 72°F) for 2 days in order to obtain information on the stability of the antibiotics in nutrient agar.Results. No inhibition of coloration or of growth was seen around disks containing penicillin, streptomycin, di-hydrostreptomycin, and bacitracin. In fact, a narrow zone of enhanced pigmentation was on occasion seen * Chloromycetin , aureomycin, and terramycin were provided by the courtesy

SELECTIVE INHIBITION OF PROLINE-INDUCED PIGMENTATION IN WASHED CELLS OF SERRATIA MARCESCENS

“…He noted the potential value to "mode-of-action" studies of an organism having certain functions selectively inhibited by antibiotics. We confirmed Weil's (1952) observations and found that streptomycin at low concentration would also inhibit the synthesis of prodigiosin without impeding growth.…”

“…degree at the University of Houston, Houston, Texas. 2 Present address: Department of Microbiology, Baylor University College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. Weil (1952) reported that low concentrations of chloramphenicol and certain tetracyclines inhibit the synthesis of prodigiosin while permitting growth by Serratia marcescens. He noted the potential value to "mode-of-action" studies of an organism having certain functions selectively inhibited by antibiotics.…”

Biosynthesis

“…Experiments with filtrates from mutant 9-3-3 suggested that the phenomenon involved factors required for condensation of MBC with MAP to form prodigiosin. WElL (1952) reported that chloramphenicol and certain tetracyclines inhibited synthesis of prodigiosin while permitting growth by cultures of S. marcescens. These observations were confirmed by BLIZZARD and PETERSON (1963), who also demonstrated that streptomycin would completely inhibit pigment formation in the temperature-induced system of GOTT and WILLIAMS (1961 a) when pigmentation was induced by casein hydrolysate, L-proline or glycine plus succinate.…”

Effects of Extracts of Blue-Green Algae on Pigment Production by Serratia marcescens

“…It has been well established that the biosynthesis of prodigiosin, the tripyrrylmethane pigment of Serratia marcescens Bizio (Hubbard & Rimington, 1950) is influenced by such factors as radiation, temperature, pH value of the growth medium, age of the culture, chlorophyll, numerous organic substances, and by certain antibiotics (Kreitlow, 1942 ;Novelli, 1953;Weinberg, 1951 ;Weil, 1952;Bunting, 1950;Crichton & Lazarus, 1948;Williams, Green & Rappoport, 1956). In the present study, the factors temperature, light, pH value and age of cultures were controlled.…”

“…In the present study, the factors temperature, light, pH value and age of cultures were controlled. Weil (1952) were obtained from Dr G. C. Gerloff (University of Wisconsin) and 0. formosa Bory (strain LB 390) from the Indiana University stock culture collection. Samples of N .…”