Open AccessCulture conditions affect cytotoxin production by Serratia marcescens
Author(s) -
Carbonell G.V.,
Fonseca B.A.L.,
Figueiredo L.T.M.,
Darini A.L.C.,
Yanaguita R.M.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.1996.tb00149.x
Subject(s) - serratia marcescens , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , incubation , serratia , bacteria , cytotoxicity , maltose , toxin , extracellular , sucrose , biochemistry , food science , escherichia coli , in vitro , pseudomonas , genetics , gene
Cytotoxins have been implicated in the pathogenesis of bacterial infections. In this study, the influence of different culture conditions was evaluated on cytotoxin production by Serratia marcescens . Parameters such as culture media, incubation temperature, starting pH of culture medium, aeration, anaerobiosis, carbon sources, iron concentration in the culture media, and release of cell‐bound toxin by polymyxin B were investigated. The data suggest that this cytotoxin is predominantly extracellular and is not induced by iron limitation. Aerobic culture with shaking resulted in higher cytotoxicity than static aerobic or anaerobic culture. Bacteria grown in glucose, sucrose or galactose were more cytotoxic than those grown in inositol or maltose. The culture conditions that were identified as optimal for cytotoxin production by Serratia marcescens were incubation temperature ranging from 30 to 37°C, in medium adjusted to pH 8.5, with shaking. This work will contribute to further studies on the identification of this cytotoxic activity.