The Isolation and Absorption Spectrum Maxima of Bacterial Carotenoid Pigments

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Abstract
Representative species of 7 genera of bacteria containing carotenoid pigments were utilized in this investigation. The pigments were extracted from masses of bacterial cells with warm methanol. The alcoholic extract then was subjected to partition between immiscible solvents to separate the different types of carotenoids. The individual components in each group were separated by the chromatographic adsorption technique originally devised by Tsweet. Finally the absorption-spectrum maxima were detd. for each pigment. 12 carotenoid pigments were isolated from 14 spp. of bacteria. These included 5 spp. of Flavobacterium, 3 of Sarcina, 2 of Micrococcus, 2 of Erwinia, 1 of Bacterium, and 1 of Cellulomonas. 7 of the carotenoids were alcohols and 5 were hydrocarbons. Some bacteria produced but 1 pigment while others produced several; Flavobacterium arborescens yielded 5 distinct color zones on the adsorption column. Cultures of F. estero-aromaticum, F. fecale, and F. suaveolens contained the same single pigment, a previously unreported carotenol. One carotenoid alcohol was isolated from 5 species belonging to 3 genera of bacteria. 12 strains of Staphylococcus aureus were investigated; all contained pigments which gave absorption maxima identical with those of [delta]-carotene and rubixanthin. 9 of these strains also contained 1 additional pigment.

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