Prodiciosin purification from serratia marcescens M10 and its antitumor activities

Abstract

Prodigiosin (Pg) is a bright red pigment, which is produced by gram negative and gram positive bacteria including Serratia marcescens, Hahella chejuensis, Vihrio psychroerythrus, Streptomyces coelicolor and many other marine bacteria such as Pseudomonas sp., Vihrio sp. Pg induces apoptosis in different kinds of cancer cells with low toxicity on normal cells. In this study, we purilied Pg frorn solid fermentation of S. marcescens M10 strain and assessed its anticancer activity in tumorized mice. The results showed that Pg was purified by running through a silicagel 60 column with a suitable solvent system of n-hexane: tolucne at the rate of 1:1 (v/v) combined with toluene: ethyl acetate at the rate of 9:1 (v/v). TLC plate was used to test the presence of active substances with separation solvent n-hexane: ethyl acetate ratio of 1:1 (v/v).