Xanthomonadins

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Bright yellow or orange carotenoid pigments synthesized by Xanthomonas bacterial species, contributing to their characteristic coloration
2. Carotenoid compounds of yellow-orange hue that are naturally produced by bacteria of the genus Xanthomonas as metabolic byproducts
3. Yellow or orange pigmentation compounds belonging to the carotenoid family that accumulate in cells of Xanthomonas bacteria

Etymology: "Xanthomonadins" is the plural of "xanthomonadin," a term for a family of yellow pigments made by bacteria of the genus Xanthomonas. The name is a coinage built from that genus name plus the chemical suffix "-in," which is used for many compounds isolated from natural sources. The genus name itself combines two Greek roots: "xanthos," meaning yellow, and "monas," meaning unit, a term that gave rise to "monad" for single-celled organisms. The name reflects the bright yellow colonies these bacteria form on culture plates. The pigments, which are themselves brominated molecules, are named for their source, so each member of the group is a yellow compound identified from a Xanthomonas species.