Skip to main content
Log in

Production, extraction and purificationof violacein: an antibiotic pigment producedby Chromobacterium violaceum

  • Published:
World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A procedure for the production, extraction, and purification of violacein was developed using Chromobacterium violaceum (CCT 3496) cultivated on cotton, in modified 1 litre Roux bottles. A surface tray bioreactor was built to perform these experiments. Violacein was extracted with commercial ethanol, and purified by filtration, Soxhlet extraction, crystallization and high performance liquid chromatography. The violacein was analysed and identified by proton and carbon-13 NMR spectroscopies, thermogravimetric analysis, mass spectrometry, UV-VIS spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. It was concluded that the product was highly purified violacein.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bycroft, B.W. 1988 Dictionary of Antibiotics and Related Substances. London: Chapman and Hall, pp. 733.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caldas, L.R., Leitã, A.A.C., Santos, S.M. & Tyrrell, R.M. 1978 Preliminary experiments on the photobiological properties of violacein. In Proceedings of International Symposium on Current Topics in Radiology and Photobiology, ed Tyrrell, R.M. pp. 121–126. Rio de Janeiro: Academia Brasileira de Ciências.

    Google Scholar 

  • Durán, N., Erazo, S. & Campos, V. 1983 Bacterial chemistry-II: antimicrobial photoproduct from pigment of Chromobacterium violaceum. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 55, 231–234.

    Google Scholar 

  • Durán, N., Antonio, R.V., Haun, M. & Pilli, R.A. 1994 Biosynthesis of a trypanocide by Chromobacterium violaceum. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 10, 686–690.

    Google Scholar 

  • Durên, N., Melo, P.S. & Haun, M. 1996 In vitro evaluation of violacein on AIDS-related lymphoma and human tumor cell lines. In XXV Annual Meetings of the Brazilian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, pp. 150. Caxambu: Sociedade Brasileira de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular (SBBq).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoshino, T., Kondo, T., Uchiyama, T. & Ogasawara, N. 1987 Biosynthesis of violacein: a novel rearrangement in tryptophan metabolism with a 1,2-shift of the indole ring. Agricultural and Biological Chemistry 51, 965–968.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaufman, S.C., Ceraso, D. & Schugurensky, A. 1986 First case report from Argentina of fatal septicemia caused by Chromobacterium violaceum. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 23, 956–958.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laatsch, H., Thomson, T.H. & Cox, P.J. 1984 Spectroscopic properties of violacein and related compounds: crystal structure of tetramethylviolacein. Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions II, 1331–1339.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lichstein, H.C. & Van de Sand, V.F. 1945 Violacein, an antibiotic pigment produced by Chromobacterium violaceum. Journal of Infectious Diseases 76, 47–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • May, G., Brümmer, B. & Ott, H. 1991 Verfahren zur isolierung von violacein und seine verwendung zur prophylaxe und therapie von viruserkrankungen. Deutsches Patentamt Offenlegungsschrift DE 3,935,066 (CL.C12P17/16), 25 April 1991, Application. 20 October 1989, 5pp.

  • Melo, P.S. 1996 Pigmentos obtidos de Chromobacterium violaceum e Serratia marcescens, Propriedade tripanocida da prodigiosina e estudos toxicológicos. Masters Thesis. Biology Institute, Campinas State University, Campinas, SP, Brazil.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perkampus, H.H., Sandeman, I. & Timmons, C.J. 1971 UV Atlas of Organic Compounds. London: Butterworth, Vol. 5, spectrum number 5812.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ponte, R. & Jenkins, S.G. 1992 Fatal Chromobacterium violaceum infections associated with exposure to stagnant waters. The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 11, 583–586.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rettori, D. 1996 Producção, extração e purificação da violaceína: um antibiótico produzido pela Chromobacterium violaceum. Masters Thesis. Chemistry Institute, Campinas State Univeristy, Campinas, SP, Brazil.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rettori, D. & Durán, N. 1997 Um biorreator de prateleiras para superficies (BPS) para a produção de um metabólito bacteriano. Brazilian Patent PI9702986-6.

  • Riveros, R., Haun, M., Campos, V. & Durán, N. 1988 Bacterial Chemistry-IV. Complete characterization of violacein: an antibiotic and trypanocide pigment from Chromobacterium violaceum. Arquivos de Biologia e Tecnologia (Brazil) 31, 475–487.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rettori, D., Durán, N. Production, extraction and purificationof violacein: an antibiotic pigment producedby Chromobacterium violaceum. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 14, 685–688 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008809504504

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008809504504

Navigation