Scanning electron microscopy of Serratia marcescens producing prodigiosin.

Production of high concentrations of prodigiosin by growing cells of Serratia marcescens was accompanied by the formation of extracellular protrusions as was revealed by scanning electron microscopy. Prodigiosin extracted from the bacterium was compared with the extracellular material. Bacteria which did not produce prodigiosin showed no extracellular protrusions.