Red pigments produted by Zymomonas mobilis CM 141

Abstract

Zymomonas mobilis was an anaerobic Gram-negative and fermentative bacteria used for replacing yeast in the industrial ethanol industry. Zymomonas mobilis CM 141 was induced by hydroxylamine to produce no levan and found to produce red pigments under aerobic conditions. The information of the red pigments produced from Zymomonas mobilis was not reported before. This experiment was performed. The red pigments were separated, purified and identified as prodigiosin by spectroscopic methods. The free form showed the mixture of three tautomers. It was spontaneously transformed to hydrated form by the interaction with water in the solvent or adsorbent or moisture in the air. The two forms of prodigiosin in solution were reported before which refered to the interaction of the base form with some acid in the solvent or adsorbent or moisture and carbon dioxide by spectrophotometric datas. This investigation was presented the spontaneously transformation of free form to protonated form by the proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry and showed that the protonation was occured by hydration at 1- position. The mutation experiment was performed to increase the pigments production. The parent strains were treated with ultraviolet light and chemicals (hydroxylamine and N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine) at various times. By positive selection from 200 isolates, strain A113 which treated by hydroxylamine for 20 minutes produced the red pigments about two times more than the Zymomonas mobilis CM141. This work was reported the informations of red pigments produced by Zymomonas mobilis CM 141 that never been found before. Mutation and selection experiments were used to development of better red pigments producing strains which expected to be the source of prodigiosin production.