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Defects in Prodigiosin Formation by L-Forms of Serratia marcescens

Research and the Medical Service, Veterans Administration, Wadsworth Hospital Center, Los Angeles, California 90073, the Department of Medicine, Harbor General Hospital, Torrance, California 90509, and the Department of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90024

ABSTRACT

An L-form of Serratia marcescens has previously been shown incapable of producing the red pigment, prodigiosin, characteristic of the parent bacteria. Mutants of S. marcesens, unable to form one or the other of the two prodigiosin precursors, 4-methoxy-2,2'-bipyrrole-5-carboxaldehyde or 2-methyl-3-n-amylpyrrole, were used to test the nature of the L-form defect. The L-forms failed to form sufficient amounts of either precursor to be detected by the appropriate mutant, and, when furnished the precursors, failed to couple them to form prodigiosin.