Enrichment and Isolation of Bluish Purple Pigment Producing Bacterium

Abstract

Bluish purple pigment producing bacterium, Janthinobacterium lividum was isolated from decomposed silk thread. Pigmentation, growth, morphology and nutritional characteristics of the organism were studied. Among the various media tested for pigment production, Wakimoto agar medium gave highest pigment yield than that of other media such as King's B medium, Moss agar medium, improved Bennett's agar medium, and citrate ammonium salts medium. Optimum temperature for maximum pigment production was found to be between 20 and 25 0 C. Studies on the pigment extraction from the bacterium revealed that methanol and ethanol were found to extract maximum pigments than other organic solvents. Maximum pigment yield of 38 mg from 100 mm agar surface was obtained, when the organism was cultured at 25 °C for 5 days in Wakimoto agar medium.