It is possible that the loss of pigment is associated with mild temperature stress. Alternatively, it may be that temperature also plays a role in regulating the expression of the prodigiosin pathway, although some scientists assert that the evidence suggests the decreased pigmentation is a physiological rather than genetic response.
Obviously more research is necessary before a satisfying answer will be found. Incidentally, Haddix and Werner used these properties of Serratia marcescens to propose classroom experiments which illustrate changes in gene expression with environmental changes.
The experiments they propose seem interesting, educational, and fairly straightforward. Serratia marcescens is red at 25 C and white at 37 C. I did an experiment and checked it in a book.
I know that this is due to a pigment. But, if the colonies thrive at both temperatures why the change in color? Is one more helpful or protective? Answer 1: In microbiology it is common to assess bacteria by their ability to metabolize certain compounds. Malaysian Journal of Microbiology , 8 2 , Haddix, P.
Prodigiosin pigment of Serratia marcescens is associated with increased biomass production. Archives of Microbiology , 7 , Heinemann, B. Influence of dissolved oxygen levels on production of L-asparaginase and prodigiosin by Serratia marcescens. Applied Microbiology , 19 5 , Imhoff, J. Garrity, D. Brenner, N. Staley Eds. Jensen, R. Handbook of Milk Composition. Jensen, Ed. Kalbe, C. Strains of the genus Serratia as beneficial rhizobacteria of oilseed rape with antifungal properties.
Microbiological Research , 4 , Kamble, K. Prodigiosin production from Serratia marcescens strains obtained from farm soil. International Journal of Environmental Sciences , 3 1 , Kavitha, R. Anticancer activity of red pigment from Serratia marcescens in Human cervix carcinoma. International Journal of PharmTech Research , 2 1 , Kim, C. An integrated fermentation-separation process for the production of red pigment by Serratia sp.
Process Biochemistry , 35 5 , Lane, D. Goodfellow Eds. New York: John Wiley and Sons. Matsumoto, K. Purification and characterization of four proteases from a clinical isolate of Serratia marcescens kums Journal of Bacteriology , 1 , Pakhale, S.
Purification of serratiopeptidase from Serratia marcescens NRRL B using ultrasound assisted three phase partitioning. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry , 31 , Panesar, R. Production of microbial pigments utilizing agro-industrial waste: A review.
Current Opinion in Food Science , 1 1 , Rahul, S. Nematicidal activity of microbial pigment from Serratia marcescens. Natural Product Research , 28 17 , Roberts, D. Suppression of damping-off of cucumber caused by Pythium ultimum with live cells and extracts of Serratia marcescens N Soil Biology and Biochemistry , 39 9 , Song, M. Purification and characterization of prodigiosin produced by integrated bioreactor from Serratia sp.
Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering , 2 , Southward, C. Casein products. Su, W. Response surface optimization of microbial prodigiosin production from Serratia marcescens. Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers , 42 2 , Sumathi, C.
Production of prodigiosin using tannery fleshing and evaluating its pharmacological effects. The Scientific World Journal , , 8.
Suryawanshi, R. Studies on production and biological potential of prodigiosin by Serratia marcescens. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology , 5 , Venil, C.
An insightful overview on microbial pigment, prodigiosin. Electronic Journal of Biology , 5 3 , Bacterial pigments and their applications. Process Biochemistry, 48 7 , Wei, Y. Enhanced production of prodigiosin-like pigment from Serratia marcescens SMdeltaR by medium improvement and oil-supplementation strategies.
Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering , 99 6 , Serratia marcescens. And lately, rampaging Serratia have turned up in some even less expected places.
In scientists discovered the "white pox" pathogen devouring elkhorn coral in the Caribbean was none other than S. Although Serratia is a common inhabitant of beaches, canals and some shore-dwelling animals, it is not typically found in seawater, so discovering it there was a surprise, said Kathryn Sutherland, associate professor of biology at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. After extensive testing of Serratia strains from nearly every conceivable source, Sutherland and her colleagues concluded that the coral-killing strain was an exact match with one of the many strains found in human excrement.
In a paper published in PloS ONE in August, they showed that this strain of bacteria experimentally caused white pox on elkhorn coral infected in the lab although other factors such as another pathogen, pollution and rising water temperatures may also contribute to the disease, she noted.
Released from leaking septic systems ill-suited to the local geology of the Florida Keys, the bacterium by chance happened to be able to both survive in saltwater and dine on elkhorn coral, an unhappy accident for both us and it, because about 90 percent of the species in those waters have vanished in the last 15 years.
The story does not stop there. In scientists reported a bacterium from the genus Serratia partnering with microscopic roundworms called nematodes from the genus Caenorhabditis —the genus to which C. Recent research had already indicated C. Instead, nematodes in this genus make a living by hitching rides on insects to travel between food sources or by living on them and patiently waiting for them to die so they can feast on the corpse.
But a chance encounter revealed a darker story. Discovered accidentally in a wax moth larvae—baited nematode trap in South Africa, scientists discovered a new species of roundworm called C. In these sorts of relationships, which also occur in other nematode genera, symbiotic bacteria are carried inside the nematode's digestive tract, sometimes in pouches especially for the purpose.
Bacteria-loaded nematodes invade an insect through its own digestive openings or cuticle pores. Once inside, the roundworms release the bacteria, which start releasing toxins. The nematodes, in turn, feast on the bacteria in an arrangement that could be looked at as a twisted agricultural scheme.
Intriguingly, the researchers also found that by adding the requisite strain of Serratia to five other non—insect infecting Caenorhabditis species—including the venerable C.
How is it that Serratia can survive in so many different environments and opportunistically infect so many unrelated hosts? Shanks thinks it is because Serratia is a classic bacterial generalist.
It has a big genome packing enough genes to consume practically any carbon food source and to resist virtually any antibiotic—traits acquired through countless generations of selection in bacterial soil wars. Which brings up one final question: Just what is that red pigment that Serratia sometimes secretes, and why does it make it?
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