Associations Between Cellular Levels of ATP and Prodigiosin Pigment Throughout the Growth Cycle of Serratia marcescens
ABSTRACT Serratia marcescens is a prolific producer of the red, membrane-associated pigment prodigiosin. Earlier work has established both a positive role for prodigiosin in ATP production during population lag phase and a negative role during high-rate, low cell density growth. This study uses the growth rate and growth phase modulation afforded by chemostat culture to extend prodigiosin functional analysis to the high density and stationary phases. Cellular levels of prodigiosin were positively associated with cellular levels of ATP during high-density growth, and artificial pigment induction during this phase increased cellular ATP. Following peak high density ATP per cell, early stationary phase enabled significant population growth while prodigiosin levels remained high and ATP declined. During late stationary phase, ATP per cell was positively associated with prodigiosin per cell while both declined during continued growth. These results provide correlational evidence for multiple effects of prodigiosin pigment on ATP production throughout the growth cycle. Earlier work and the data presented here enable formulation of a working model for the oscillating relationships between cellular levels of ATP and prodigiosin during batch culture.