羊毛硫细菌素及其应用

由基因编码、在核糖体上合成的抗菌多肽广泛分布于自然界中。人、动物、昆虫、植物和微生物都可以产生。这些抗菌多肽在食品防腐保鲜以及在药物治疗和医治肿瘤、癌症方面的潜力引起人们极大的关注［１］。近１０年来,原核生物和真核生物产生的抗菌多肽成为人们研究的热点,并取得飞速进展［１－４］。本文将主要介绍革兰氏阳性细菌产生的羊毛硫细菌素的结构、性质、生物合成,作用机制及应用。１什么叫羊毛硫细菌素由细菌基因编码、在核糖体上合成的抗菌多肽叫作细菌素。它是由某些细菌通过核糖体合成机制产生的一类具有抑菌生物活性的多肽…     

产细菌素的细菌筛选鉴定及其产物抑菌性能研究

从水体改善制剂样品中筛选出一株产细菌素的芽孢杆菌XDF-2,经生理生化分析和分子生物学鉴定,确定为短小芽孢杆菌。发现该菌产细菌素受发酵时间和培养的影响。对该粗提的细菌素进行特性研究,发现该细菌素只对金黄色葡萄球菌和藤黄微球菌具有抑菌活性。但是该细菌素在不同pH、100℃以下的温度、表面活性剂和有机溶剂的环境下稳定。经酶解试验所得,推测该细菌素具有多肽结构和羧基酯的结构。     

防御素的生物学特性及其抗病基因工程

防御素是一种富含半胱氨酸的小分子多肽,对细菌等微生物具有广谱抗性,且作用机制特殊。迄今为止,国内外在防御素方面进行了大量的研究,已经从各类生物体中分离出不同种类的防御素,并在基因工程和医药领域呈现广泛的应用前景。文章对防御素的分类、生物学特性,包括哺乳动物α-、β-、θ-防御素、昆虫以及植物防御素的分子结构及抗菌活性进行了综述,阐述了防御素的膜作用及与细胞内复合物结合的作用机制。总结和归纳了防御素基因的分离、表达研究进展及动、植物防御素基因在抗病基因工程领域的应用,并对防御素在未来的生物制药和植物抗病基因工程方面的应用前景进行了展望。     

Nisin生物合成有关基因的遗传分析

乳链菌肽（ｎｉｓｉｎ）是某些乳酸乳球菌（Ｌａｃｔｏｃｏｃｃｕｓｌａｃｔｉｓ）产生的细菌素,是目前发现的各种细菌素中最重要的一种。因其具有较大经济价值而研究最为深入。有关它的理化性质及其应用已有文献报道［１,３］。细菌素这类抗菌物质都是多肽或蛋白质,有分子量小,且结构复杂的特点。Ｋｌｅａｎｈａｍｍｅｒ等［４］依据细菌素的分子量大小,热稳定性及修饰氨基酸等因素,把乳酸菌产生的抗菌蛋白质分为三类：（１）热稳定的小肽（２）热敏感的大蛋白质（３）修饰性多肽。它们的生物合成方式有核糖体合成和非核糖体合成两种。ｎｉｓｉｎ属于修饰性多肽细菌素,羊毛硫细菌素（Ｌａｎｔｉｂｉｏｔｉｃｓ）的一种,由核糖体合成。对它的研究已从初期的理化性质深入到分子遗传学水平。本文重点介绍ｎｉｓｉｎ的生物合成有关基因的遗传分析     

新型植物生长调节物质——激素性多肽的研究进展

多肽是生物体内一种非常重要的物质,它以信号的形式调控着生物的生活周期。在动物、细菌、真菌上作为激素、信息素和生长因子已进行了广泛的研究。然而,在植物上１９９１年才首次报道名叫系统素的伤害信号物质的内生多肽。最近,已从植物中分离出多种肽性植物生长调节因子。本文简要介绍系统素、早期结瘤素、植物硫素、豆胰岛素等四种激素性多肽的发现与分离,以及其结构与生理作用。     

天蚕素类抗菌肽分子设计研究进展

天蚕素是一类由31~39个氨基酸残基组成的阳离子型线性α螺旋抗菌肽,具有抗细菌、抗真菌、抗病毒以及抑制肿瘤细胞等生物活性。天蚕素与传统抗生素作用机制不同,具有不易产生耐药性的特点,因此成为解决传统抗生素多重耐药性问题的一个新突破口。然而,天蚕素在抗菌活性、选择性、毒性以及稳定性等方面还存在诸多问题,并且天然天蚕素提取工艺复杂,成本较高,不适合大规模生产,其对细菌的高毒性也限制了原核工程菌的使用。近年来多肽分子设计的研究方法颇受青睐,为解决多肽物质诸多问题开辟了新的途径。针对天蚕素类抗菌肽研究过程中面临的主要问题综述了其分子设计的研究进展。     

细菌素的制备及其应用

近年来,具有抑菌活性的细菌素被发现在食品防腐保鲜、疾病治疗和其他许多相关方面有着广泛的应用价值,各种制备细菌素的方法也被广泛报道。本文概述了细菌素的制备方法以及其在诸多领域中的应用。     

硫堇蛋白及细胞防御素在植物抗病性育种中的研究

硫堇蛋白及细胞防御素是一类广泛存在于植物细胞中并对细菌、真菌等病原微生物具有抑制或杀灭作用的小分子量多肽抗生素。二者在分子量、空间结构及某些化学性质具有相似性,近年来在植物抗病性育种中得以应用。对植物硫堇蛋白及细胞防御素的分类、结构、作用机制以及在植物抗性育种的应用实例进行综述。     

新型植物生长调节物质——激素性多肽的研究进展

多肽是生物体内一种非常重要的物质,它以信号的形式调控着生物的生活周期。在动物、细菌、真菌上作为激素、信息素和生长因子已进行了广泛的研究。然而,在植物上1991年才首次报道名叫系统素的伤害信号物质的内生多肽。最近,已从植物中分离出多种肽性植物生长调节因子。本文简要介绍系统素、早期结瘤素、植物硫素、豆胰岛索等四种激素性多肽的发现与分离,以及其结构与生理作用。     

Ⅱa类细菌素的结构、生物合成与活性

乳酸菌产生的细菌素中Ⅱa类细菌素是很大的一类,这类细菌素数量众多且抑菌活性广,尤其是它们都对单核细胞增生李斯特氏菌有较强的抑菌活性,而且它们的理化性质也比较稳定,因而它们是最有希望作为食品添加剂应用的细菌素。对目前研究比较清楚的一些Ⅱa类细菌素的分子构成、基因组织、生物合成、作用方式进行了概述,并对未来Ⅱa类细菌素在食品中的应用途径做出了展望。     

Bacteriocins: mechanism of membrane insertion and pore formation

Lactic acid bacteria produce several types of pore forming peptides. Class I bacteriocins are lantibiotics that contain (methyl)lanthionine residues that may form intramolecular thioether rings. These peptides generally have a broad spectrum of activity and form unstable pores. Class II bacteriocins are small, heat stable peptides mostly with a narrow spectrum of activity. Most bacteriocins interact with anionic lipids that are abundantly present in the membranes of Gram-positive bacteria.'Docking molecules' may enhance the conductivity and stability of lantibiotic pores, while'receptors' in the target membrane may determine specificity of class II bacteriocins. Insertion into the membrane of many bacteriocins is proton motive force driven. Lantibiotics may form pores according to a'wedge-like' model, while class II bacteriocins may enhance membrane permeability either by the formation of a'barrel stave' pore or by a'carpet' mechanism.     

Structure and Mode-of-Action of the Two-Peptide (Class-IIb) Bacteriocins

This review focuses on the structure and mode-of-action of the two-peptide (class-IIb) bacteriocins that consist of two different peptides whose genes are next to each other in the same operon. Optimal antibacterial activity requires the presence of both peptides in about equal amounts. The two peptides are synthesized as preforms that contain a 15–30 residue double-glycine-type N-terminal leader sequence that is cleaved off at the C-terminal side of two glycine residues by a dedicated ABC-transporter that concomitantly transfers the bacteriocin peptides across cell membranes. Two-peptide bacteriocins render the membrane of sensitive bacteria permeable to a selected group of ions, indicating that the bacteriocins form or induce the formation of pores that display specificity with respect to the transport of molecules. Based on structure–function studies, it has been proposed that the two peptides of two-peptide bacteriocins form a membrane-penetrating helix–helix structure involving helix–helix-interacting GxxxG-motifs that are present in all characterized two-peptide bacteriocins. It has also been suggested that the membrane-penetrating helix–helix structure interacts with an integrated membrane protein, thereby triggering a conformational alteration in the protein, which in turn causes membrane-leakage. This proposed mode-of-action is similar to the mode-of-action of the pediocin-like (class-IIa) bacteriocins and lactococcin A (a class-IId bacteriocin), which bind to a membrane-embedded part of the mannose phosphotransferase permease in a manner that causes membrane-leakage and cell death.     

Structure and genetics of circular bacteriocins

Circular bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides produced by a variety of Gram-positive bacteria. They are part of a growing family of ribosomally synthesized peptides with a head-to-tail cyclization of their backbone that are found in mammals, plants, fungi and bacteria and are exceptionally stable. These bacteriocins permeabilize the membrane of sensitive bacteria, causing loss of ions and dissipation of the membrane potential. Most circular bacteriocins probably adopt a common 3D structure consisting of four or five α-helices encompassing a hydrophobic core. This review compares the various structures, as well as the gene clusters that encode circular bacteriocins, and discusses the biogenesis of this unique class of bacteriocins.     

Circular Bacteriocins: Biosynthesis and Mode of Action

Circular bacteriocins are a group of N-to-C-terminally linked antimicrobial peptides, produced by Gram-positive bacteria of the phylum Firmicutes. Circular bacteriocins generally exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, including against common food-borne pathogens, such as Clostridium and Listeria spp. These peptides are further known for their high pH and thermal stability, as well as for resistance to many proteolytic enzymes, properties which make this group of bacteriocins highly promising for potential industrial applications and their biosynthesis of particular interest as a possible model system for the synthesis of highly stable bioactive peptides. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on this group of bacteriocins, with emphasis on the recent progress in understanding circular bacteriocin genetics, biosynthesis, and mode of action; in addition, we highlight the current challenges and future perspectives for the application of these peptides.     

Lantibiotics, class I bacteriocins from the genus Bacillus

Antimicrobial peptides exhibit high levels of antimicrobial activity against a broad range of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. Compared with bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria, antimicrobial peptides from the genus Bacillus have been relatively less recognized despite their broad antimicrobial spectra. These peptides can be classified into two different groups based on whether they are ribosomally (bacteriocins) or nonribosomally (polymyxins and iturins) synthesized. Because of their broad spectra and high activity, antimicrobial peptides from Bacillus spp. may have great potential for applications in the food, agricultural, and pharmaceutical industries to prevent or control spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. In this review, we introduce ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides, the lantibiotic bacteriocins produced by members of Bacillus. In addition, the biosynthesis, genetic organization, mode of action, and regulation of subtilin, a well-investigated lantibiotic from Bacillus subtilis, are discussed.     

The continuing story of class IIa bacteriocins.

Many bacteria produce antimicrobial peptides, which are also referred to as peptide bacteriocins. The class IIa bacteriocins, often designated pediocin-like bacteriocins, constitute the most dominant group of antimicrobial peptides produced by lactic acid bacteria. The bacteriocins that belong to this class are structurally related and kill target cells by membrane permeabilization. Despite their structural similarity, class IIa bacteriocins display different target cell specificities. In the search for new antibiotic substances, the class IIa bacteriocins have been identified as promising new candidates and have thus received much attention. They kill some pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Listeria) with high efficiency, and they constitute a good model system for structure-function analyses of antimicrobial peptides in general. This review focuses on class IIa bacteriocins, especially on their structure, function, mode of action, biosynthesis, bacteriocin immunity, and current food applications. The genetics and biosynthesis of class IIa bacteriocins are well understood. The bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesized with an N-terminal leader sequence, which is cleaved off upon secretion. After externalization, the class IIa bacteriocins attach to potential target cells and, through electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, subsequently permeabilize the cell membrane of sensitive cells. Recent observations suggest that a chiral interaction and possibly the presence of a mannose permease protein on the target cell surface are required for a bacteria to be sensitive to class IIa bacteriocins. There is also substantial evidence that the C-terminal half penetrates into the target cell membrane, and it plays an important role in determining the target cell specificity of these bacteriocins. Immunity proteins protect the bacteriocin producer from the bacteriocin it secretes. The three-dimensional structures of two class IIa immunity proteins have been determined, and it has been shown that the C-terminal halves of these cytosolic four-helix bundle proteins specify which class IIa bacteriocin they protect against.     

Peptide autoinducers in bacteria

The review classifies and analyzes the literature data on bacterial peptide autoinducers (AIs), responsible for intra- and interspecies communication (quorum sensing) between bacterial populations. The most important families of peptide AI are discussed, including a large group of bacteriocins, subdivided into lantibiotics (class I), unmodified heat-stable bacteriocins (II), large bacteriocins with M_r > 30 kDa (III), and “circular” bacteriocins (IV), as well as CSP peptides (Competence-Stimulating Peptides), peptides with thiolactone and lactone cycles, and short tryptophan-containing peptides with pheromone activity. The sensor systems are discussed, which recognize peptide AIs and regulate the activity of bacterial intracellular effector systems. For different families of peptide AIs, the typical features of structural organization are determined, which are responsible for their biological activity