Abstract
A study of the relationship between mycobacterial species and their carotenoid pigments was carried out. According to the carotenoid pigments contained, the mycobacterial species tested were divided into four groups: the first group of Mycobacterium kansasii and M. marinum, which formed principally only β-carotene; the second group of M. gordonae, M. scrofulaceum, M. szulgai, M. xenopi, M. flavescens, M. phlei, M. rhodesiae, M. neoaurum, and M. aichiense, which formed β-carotene and a zeaxanthin-like substance; the third group of M. aurum and M. obuense, which formed β-carotene and an eschscholtzxanthin-like substance; and the fourth group of M. chubuense and M. tokaiense, which formed β-carotene and zeaxanthin- and eschscholtzxanthin-like substances. The common carotenoid pigment throughout the genus Mycobacterium was β-carotene and the hypophasic carotenoids differed according to the species.
