The reversal of glucose repressed prodigiosin production in Serratia marcescens by the cyclic 3'5'-adenosine monophosphate inhibitor theophylline.

Glucose was found to cause severe repression of prodigiosin production in Serratia marcescens and a dose related partial reversal was demonstrated by theophylline. It is suggested that this reversal is due to the inhibition of cAMP phosphodiesterase and the concomitant increase in cellular cAMP concentration.