Optimum conditions for Prodigiosin production by Serratia marcescens S11

Different nutritional and cultural factors were studied to determine the optimum conditions for prodigiosin production by Serratia marcescens S11 in a batch culture of brain-heart infusion broth medium. These factors include carbon source and its concentration, nitrogen source and its concentration, phosphate source, temperature and pH. Results showed that the optimum conditions for prodigiosin production were achieved when the production medium was supplemented with olive oil and casein hydrolysate as a carbon and nitrogen sources respectively in a concentration of 1.5% for broth, KH2PO4 as a phosphate source at initial medium pH8, and incubation at 28°C for 24 hours. Under these optimal conditions, prodigiosin activity produced by Serratia marcescens S11 in culture medium was increased from 200 U/cell before optimization to 3000 U/cell.