African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 5 (11), pp. 1131-1134, 2 June 2006   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2006 Academic Journals        

Full Length Research Paper

Seperation, identification and analysis of pigment (melanin) production in Streptomyces

Dastager S.G.^{1, 2,} Wen-Jun Li ¹, Dayanand A.², Shu-Kun Tang1, Xin-Peng Tian¹ Xiao-Yang Zhi¹, Li-Hua Xu¹ and Cheng-Lin Jiang¹

1Laboratory for conservation and utilization of Bio-Resources, Yunnan Institute of Microbiology, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan-650 091, P.R.China..

2Department of Studies and Research in Microbiology. Gulbarga University, Gulbarga-585 106, Karnataka, India.

*Corresponding authors E-mail: wjli@ynu.edu.cn.

Accepted 11 January, 2006

Nine strains among 180 Streptomyces isolates produce a diffusible dark brown pigment on both peptone-yeast extract agar and synthetic tyrosine-agar. They also show the positive reaction to L-tyrosine or L-dopa substrates. The pigment has been referred to be as merely as dark brown water-soluble pigment, as melanoid or melanin. The different carbon and nitrogen sources which influence the pigment production in the Streptomyces isolates were also investigated, and the carotenoid content in the pigment was analyzed. The melanin formation in the Streptomyces species is the key feature for the classification of the Stretomyces group.

Key words: Pigment, melanin, Streptomyeces, taxonomy.