Professor Shinsuke Shigeto (Faculty of Science) and Assistant Professor Nanako Kanno (Faculty of Science) have developed a method for analyzing the diversity of pigment production in microorganisms at the single-cell level and non-destructively by simultaneously acquiring resonance Raman spectra and fluorescence spectra. The results of their research were published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology on April 10, 2025. The method developed by Professor Shigeto and his colleagues has made it possible to search for bacteria that produce carotenoids, which are natural pigments, and bacteriochlorophyll-type phototrophic bacteria, the ecology of which in nature is not yet understood. This is expected to lead to the discovery of new microorganisms that produce useful molecules. In addition, it is expected to contribute to solving environmental problems by making it possible to analyze the contribution of environmental microorganisms to the geochemical cycle from a new perspective. 

Journal name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Article title: Single-cell pigment analysis of phototrophic and phyllosphere bacteria using simultaneous detection of Raman and autofluorescence spectra
Authors: Nanako Kanno, Shinsuke Shigeto
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00129-25