Flagellar variation in Serratia marcescens is associated with color variation.
The pigmented enterobacterium Serratia marcescens, an opportunistic pathogen, shows a striking variation of its red color. Different strains differ greatly both in color and in the frequency with which they produce color variants. Within a strain, the variations occur at constant rates and are reversible. During an investigation of this phenomenon we observed that variation of a 39-kilodalton protein in S. marcescens 274 is closely associated with color variation. Using antibodies to this protein we identified it as being a component of the bacterial flagella. Variation of surface proteins often provides an organism with alternate offense-defense strategies for survival in a challenging environment. The pigment, in association with flagella, may provide such a function for S. marcescens.
D000906:Antibodies; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005407:Flagella / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010858:Pigmentation; D012706:Serratia marcescens / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D000906:Antibodies; D001426:Bacterial Proteins