[Prodigiosin as a possible inhibitor of Serratia marcescens nuclease].

Preparations of prodigiosin inhibited the activity of nuclese of Serratia marcescens. The preparations were fractionated on an alumina column. The activity of nuclease was inhibited by both fractions containing pyrryldipyrrylmethene compounds and fractions in which these compounds were not found by spectrophotometry. The inhibitor was isolated also from the cells of a pigmentless strain. Therefore, the inhibition is exhibited by compounds that are extracted from the cells with acetone and petroleum ether, rather than by prodigiosin.