• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1513-1520
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• 2010

A bacterium capable of producing melanin pigment in the presence of L-tyrosine was isolated from a crop field soil sample and identified as Klebsiella sp. GSK based on morphological, biochemical, and 16S rDNA sequencing. The polymerization of this pigment occurs outside the cell wall, which has a granular structure as melanin ghosts. Chemical characterization of the pigment particles showed then to be acid resistant, alkali soluble, and insoluble in most of the organic solvents and water. The pigment got bleached when subjected to the action of oxidants as well as reductants. This pigment was precipitated with $FeCl_3$, ammoniacal silver nitrate, and potassium ferricynide. The pigment showed high absorbance in the UV region and decreased absorbance when shifted towards the visible region. The melanin pigment was further charecterized by FT-IR and EPR spectroscopies. A key enzyme, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid hydroxylase, that catalyzes the formation of melanin pigment by hydroxylation of L-tyrosine was detected in this bacterium. Inhibition studies with specific inhibitors, kojic acid and KCN, proved that melanin is synthesized by the DOPA-melanin pathway.