Characterization and Enhanced Production of Prodigiosin from the Spoiled Coconut

Abstract

Many bacterial secondary products are bioactive substances that play an important role in biotechnology and pharmacology (e.g., as antibiotics or antitumor agents). Over the past few years interest in prodigiosin has been increased due to its promising anti-cancer activity. Prodigiosin is also of potential clinical interest because it is reported to have anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-protozoal/anti-malarial, and immunosuppressive activity. Thus there is a need to develop a high-throughput and cost-effective bioprocess for the production of prodigiosin. In the present study, Serratia rubidaea was isolated from colored portion of a spoiled coconut and further it was authenticated by MTCC, India. The various parameters like temperature, pH, salt concentration, and precursors were optimized for the production of prodigiosin. We now report that the pigment production was higher in our isolated strain than S. marcescens. It was observed that prodigiosin binds with plastic, paper, and fibers and thus in near future, it can also be used as a natural dye.

An integrated process for thein siturecovery of prodigiosin using micellar ATPS from a culture ofSerratia marcescens

“…According to the similar slopes observed between biomass growth and prodigiosin production in Fig. , this metabolite exhibited a primary metabolite behavior with the proposed medium, different to what is normally reported . In this case, the strain presented a prodigiosin production linked to biomass growth, suggesting that a continuous process could be easily implemented.…”

“…Other two phase systems reported in the literature are cloud point systems or micellar ATPS, composed of surfactants in aqueous solutions at a concentration that forms a surfactant‐rich phase (coacervate phase) and a dilute phase. These systems have been applied to separate proteins in extractive fermentations for lipase, β‐lactoglobulin, and proteins embedded in the membrane . Micellar ATPS are suitable for the recovery of hydrophobic or amphiphilic products, due to the dual nature of the molecule and the wide variety of surfactants available exhibiting different solubility.…”

“…These systems have been applied to separate proteins in extractive fermentations for lipase, 11 -lactoglobulin, 15 and proteins embedded in the membrane. 16 Micellar ATPS are suitable for the recovery of hydrophobic or amphiphilic products, due to the dual nature of the molecule and the wide variety of surfactants available exhibiting different solubility. Our study focuses on prodigiosin a red secondary metabolite produced by Serratia marcescens that has shown antimalarial/antiprotozoal, 17 antimicrobial, 17 algicidal, 18 insecticide, 19 immunosuppressive 20 and antineoplasic 21 activities but with limited practical applications due to low productivity and costly downstream processes to meet purity requirements.…”

Antimicrobial activity of prodigiosin isolated from Serratia marcescens UFPEDA 398

“…Mannitol is more widely employed due to its low cost in comparison to other conventional culture media and also favors the maximum yield of prodigiosin. According to Silva et al (2012). alternative media composed of peanut flour, sesame seeds and corn, soybean or coconut oil are excellent substrates for the synthesis of prodigiosin, achieving a maximum yield of 300 mg/mL of pigment.…”

“…According to Silva et al (2012), the substance produced by S. marcescens, which has absorbance at 534 nm and a molecular weight of 323 m/z, is characterized as prodigiosin. Moreover, Yang et al (2013) describe a red pigment produced by Microcystis aeruginosa, the molecular weight of which is 323 m/ z, as being prodigiosin.…”