Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Constructing Mutants in Serotype 1 Streptococcus pneumoniae strain 519/43
Published on: September 11, 2020
Construction and co-cultivation of two mutant strains harboring key precursor genes to produce prodigiosin
Wei-Chuan Chen1, Min-Jun Tsai1, Po-Chi Soo2
1Graduate School of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Yuan Ze University, No. 135, Yuan-Tung Road, Chung-Li Dist., Taoyuan City 32003, Taiwan, ROC.
Abstract:
The biosynthesis of prodigiosin (PG) from Serratia marcescens involves the coupling of a bipyrrole, 4-methoxy-2,2'-bipyrrole-5-carboxaldehyde (MBC), with a monopyrrole, 2-methyl-3-n-amyl-pyrrole (MAP), and formation of a linear tripyrrole (PG). We constructed mutant strains in which either the MBC biosynthesis by S. marcescens BMJ816 or the MAP biosynthesis by S. marcescens AMJ817. S. marcescens BMJ816 and AMJ817 confirmed that they lose the ability to synthesize PG when they are cultivated alone. An experiment was also conducted in which cultures of the two mutant strains were grown to the early exponential phase in a semi-defined medium, and one suspension culture was inoculated with the other. This approach yielded 103 mg/L PG. The findings suggest that the addition of precursors may enhance PG production by microorganisms.
Related Concept Videos
Key Techniques in Microbiology
Key Elements for Plant Nutrition
Cell Specific Gene Expression
Thermal Strain
Shearing Strain
Measurements of Strain

