1992 Volume 39 Issue 9 Pages 755-762
Orange pigment was found in the cell of Lactobacillus plantarum L622 (strain L 622) isolated from fermented rice noodle "Khanom Jeen" .The optimum culture condition for pigment formation was incubation at 25°C and pH 7.0 with Na gluconate as carbon source and cystine and methionine as amino acid source. Very little amount of pigment was found in the cell culture with glucose as carbon source. Addition of antibiotics which inhibit the protein synthesis increased the pigment for mation. Pigment formation was related with the rate of growth but not with the amount of intracellular ATP. Pigment forming strain L. plantarum L622 and pigment nonforming strain L 622 CW were not differed in the physiological characteristics. The growh of strain L 622 was stimulated by the addition of cystine or methionine while L622 CW was not. The difference between the strain L622 and strain L622 CW was the pattern of plasmid DNA. Strain L622 retained 5 bands of plasmids, 49kbp. to 12.6kbp. But strain L622 CW had 11.5kbp plasmid instead of 12.6 kbp plasmid. It suggested the pigment production of L622 was related with the plasmid.
