An Innovative, Low-Cost Medium for the Bioproduction of Prodigiosin by Serratia marcescens

Prodigiosin is a red pigment produced by various bacteria, including Serratia marcescens . Despite its wide and promising range of biological activities, the large-scale production of prodigiosin is currently limited by its high cost and low yields. Here we propose and optimize an innovative, low-cost, peanut-based solid culture medium that enhances the yield of prodigiosin produced by Serratia marcescens . Colorimetric assays revealed that peanut significantly stimulates prodigiosin synthesis. Further HPLC-MS analysis allowed us to unambiguously identify prodigiosin and shows that our medium specifically improves the yield of prodigiosin. Overall, our innovative culture medium could help lower prodigiosin production costs and, ultimately, open new industrial applications.