Serratia marcescens (S. marcescens)는 Gram-음성 박테리아로 soytone과 에탄올이 함유된 Cang’s soytone (CS) 배지에서 28 °C, pH 7.5의 조건으로 배양할 때 가장 많은 붉은 색소를 생성하였 다. S. marcescens 균주로부터 붉은 색소를 분리, 정제하기 위하여 여러 가지 유기용매를 사용하였다. 분리 정제한 붉은 색소는 가시광선 영역의 537 nm에서 λmax를 가지고 있었고, HPLC-Mass로 분석한 결과 분자량 537과 565 g을 가지는 두 가지 물질로 구성되어 있음을 확인하였다. 또한 상온과 pH 6 이하의 산성조건에서는 태양광에도 안정함을 확인하였다.
Serratia marcescens, a Gram-negative bacterium characterized by production of a nondiffusible red pigment. Serratia marcescens 2354 (ATCC 25419) was production and purification a high concentration of red pigments when growing on Cang’s soytone (CS) culture broth with soytone and ethanol. The optimal temperature and intial pH range for the production of the red pigments were 28 °C and pH 7.5, respectively. The red pigments was separated and purified through organic solvents extraction. Characterization of the red pigments is studied by UV-spectrophotometer at λmax 537 nm. The HPLC-Mass analysis of the partially purified compounds showed two major peaks with the molecular masses of 537 and 565 g. The red pigments were stable at room temperature under the acidic pH (up to pH 6) but were unstable at the strong alkaline condition. And red pigments were stable at sun light.