Characterization of prodiginine compounds produced by a Vibrio species isolated from salt flat sediment along the Florida Gulf Coast

Abstract

Prodiginines are secondary metabolites produced by several known species of bacteria. These metabolites are known for their bright pigmentation and their potential medicinal uses. Biosynthesis of prodiginine compounds, including the well-studied prodigiosin, has been well characterized in Serratia marcescens and other bacterial species, including several marine bacteria. In an effort to isolate and identify natural products from marine organisms, an environmental sample was taken from a salt flat along the Florida Gulf Coast and cultured for bacterial growth. A bacterial species that produces a vibrant pink pigment was isolated and identified as a member of the Vibrio genus and was named MI-2. Whole genome sequencing identified a 13-gene operon with homology to the S. marcescens prodigiosin biosynthetic operon. The pigment produced by MI-2 was hypothesized to be composed of prodigiosin or related prodiginine compounds and was purified by flash column chromatography and identified by mass spectrometry.