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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Quantification of Violacein in Chromobacterium violaceum and Its Inhibition by Bioactive Compounds
Published on: August 8, 2025
Isolation and characterization of two groups of novel marine bacteria producing violacein
Shuichi Yada1, Yi Wang, Yanshuang Zou
1Department of Environmental Systems Engineering, Kochi University of Technology, 185 Miyanokuchi, Tosayamada, Kami, Kochi 782-8502, Japan.
Abstract:
Thirteen strains of novel marine bacteria producing a purple pigment were isolated from the Pacific coast of Japan. They were divided into two groups based on their 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences, and both groups of bacteria belonged to the genus Pseudoalteromonas. The UV-visible spectrum of the pigment was identical to those of violacein, a pigment produced by several species of bacteria including Chromobacterium violaceum, an opportunistic pathogen. Further analysis of the chemical structure of the pigment by mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that the pigment was violacein. The high purity of violacein in the crude extract enabled us to employ simple and nonpolluting procedures to purify the pigment. Isolated bacteria may be useful as a C. violaceum substitute for the safe production of violacein.
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