Production of a Blue Pigment (Glaukothalin) by MarineRheinheimeraspp.

Abstract

Twoγ-Proteobacteriastrains, that is, HP1 and HP9, which both produce a diffusible deep blue pigment, were isolated from the German Wadden Sea and from the Øresund, Denmark, respectively. Both strains affiliate with the genusRheinheimera. Small amounts of the pigment could be extracted from HP1 grown in a 50 L fermenter and were purified chromatographically. Chemical analysis of the pigment including NMR and mass spectrometry led to a molecular formula ofC34H56N4O4(m.w. 584.85) which has not yet been reported in literature. The molecule is highly symmetrically and consists of two heterocyclic halves to which aliphatic side chains are attached. The pigment has been named glaukothalin due to its blue color and its marine origin (glaukos,gr.=blue,thalatta,gr.=sea). Production of glaukothalin on MB2216 agar plates by ourRheinheimerastrains is affected in the presence of other bacterial strains either increasing or decreasing pigment production. The addition of a single amino acid, arginine (5 gl−1), greatly increases pigment production by ourRheinheimerastrains. Even though the production of glaukothalin leads to inhibitory activity against three bacterial strains from marine particles, ourRheinheimeraisolates are inhibited by various bacteria of different phylogenetic groups. The ecological role of glaukothalin production byRheinheimerastrains, however, remains largely unknown.