Characterization of a bacteriocin, Thermophilin 1277, produced by Streptococcus thermophilus SBT1277

AIMS: To assess the inhibitory activity and the influence of culture condition on the growth and bacteriocin, Thermophilin 1277, production by Streptococcus thermophilus SBT1277. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thermophilin 1277, which was produced by S. thermophilus SBT1277, showed an antimicrobial activity against several lactic acid bacteria and food spoilage bacteria including Clostridium butylicum, C. sprogenes and Bacillus cereus. Thermophilin 1277 was inactivated by proteinase K. Heating treatment did not affect the antimicrobial activity. The partially purified Thermophilin 1277 had an apparent molecular mass of 3.7 kDa. N-terminal sequence analysis revealed 15 amino acid residues that correspond with amino acid sequence of the lantibiotics bovicin HJ50 produced by Streptococcus bovis HJ50. The effects of culture condition for the bacteriocin production by S. thermophilus SBT1277 were studied. During the batch fermentation, Thermophilin 1277 was produced in M17 broth, but no bacteriocin production occurred in the sucrose-tryptone (ST) broth. Bacteriocin production was detected in pH controlled ST broth at pH values of 5.5-6.5. CONCLUSIONS: Thermophilin 1277 production from S. thermophilus strain depended on the culture conditions. Some characters and N-terminal amino acid sequence of Thermophilin 1277 differed from bacteriocins produced by S. thermophilus reported previously. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Streptococcus thermophilus SBT1277 or its bacteriocin which has a wide inhibitory spectrum has a potential use as a biopreservative in dairy products.     

Purification and characterization of thermophilin T, a novel bacteriocin produced by Streptococcus thermophilus ACA-DC 0040

ACA-DC 0040 produced an antimicrobial agent, which was named thermophilin T, active against several lactic acid bacteria strains of different species and food spoilage bacteria, such as Clostridium sporogenes C22/10 and Cl. tyrobutyricum NCDO-1754. The crude antimicrobial compound is sensitive to proteolytic enzymes and α-amylase, heat-stable (100 °C for 30 min), resistant to pH exposure at pH 1–12 and demonstrates a bactericidal mode of action against the sensitive strain Lactococcus cremoris CNRZ-117. The production of bacteriocin was optimized approximately 10-fold in an aerobic fermenter held at constant pH 5·8 and 6·2. Ultrafiltration experiments with culture supernatant fluids containing the bacteriocin, and further estimation of molecular weight with gel filtration chromatography, revealed that bacteriocin in the native form has a molecular weight in excess of 300 kDa. SDS-gel electrophoresis of partially purified thermophilin T showed that bacteriocin activity was associated with a protein band of approximately 2·5 kDa molecular mass.     

BlpC-regulated bacteriocin production in Streptococcus thermophilus

Streptococcus thermophilus B59671 produces a bacteriocin with anti-pediococcal activity, but genes required for its production are not characterized. Genome sequencing of S. thermophilus has identified a genetic locus encoding a quorum sensing (QS) system that regulates production of class II bacteriocins. However, in strains possessing this gene cluster, production of bacteriocin like peptides (Blp) was only observed when excess pheromone was provided. PCR analysis revealed this strain possessed blpC, which encodes the 30-mer QS pheromone. To investigate if BlpC regulates bacteriocin production in S. thermophilus B59671, an integrative vector was used to replace blpC with a gene encoding for kanamycin resistance and the resulting mutant did not inhibit the growth of Pediococcus acidilactici. Constitutive expression of blpC from a shuttle vector restored the bacteriocin production, confirming the blp gene cluster is essential for bacteriocin activity in S. thermophilus B59671.     

Ubericin A, a class IIa bacteriocin produced by Streptococcus uberis

Streptococcus uberis, a causal agent of bovine mastitis, produces ubericin A, a 5.3-kDa class IIa (pediocin-like) bacteriocin, which was purified and characterized. The uba locus comprises two overlapping genes: ubaA (ubericin A precursor peptide) and ubaI (putative immunity protein). Ubericin A is the first streptococcal class IIa bacteriocin to be characterized.     

Characterization of a bacteriocin produced by Prevotella nigrescens ATCC 25261

AIMS: To characterize the antimicrobial activity produced by Prevotella nigrescens ATCC 25261, and to evaluate its safety on cultured gingival fibroblasts. METHODS AND RESULTS: An antimicrobial activity was obtained from purifying the culture supernatant of Pr. nigrescens ATCC 25261. Purification of the active compound was achieved with ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by anion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography. As revealed by SDS-PAGE, the active fraction was relatively homogeneous, showing a protein with an approximate molecular weight of 41 kDa. The antimicrobial compound, named nigrescin, exhibited a bactericidal mode of action against Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythensis, and Actinomyces spp. Nigrescin was stable in a pH range between 6.5 and 9.5, at 100 degrees C for 10 min, and resistant to lyophilization. But its activity was lost after proteinase K treatment. Despite at very high concentrations beyond the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), nigrescin was not toxic to the gingival fibroblasts. CONCLUSION: Nigrescin is a novel bacteriocin produced by Pr. nigrescens ATCC 25261. It exhibits antimicrobial activity against species that are implicated in periodontal diseases. The absence of toxicity on the gingival fibroblasts suggests the possibility in using of nigrescin for an application in periodontal treatment. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Novel evidence on nigrescin would make Pr. nigrescens ATCC 25261 attractive in biotechnological applications as an antimicrobial agent in clinical dentistry.     

Structure of an exocellular polysaccharide produced by Streptococcus thermophilus

Streptococcus thermophilus strains grown on skimmed milk produced a viscosifying, exocellular, and water-soluble polysaccharide which contains D-glucose, D-galactose, and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine in the ratio of 1:2:1. Methylation analysis identified the glycosidic linkages in the tetrasaccharidic repeating-unit, and Smith degradation and nitrous deamination after N-deacetylation gave the sequence of monosaccharides in the repeating-unit. The anomeric configurations of the sugar residues were determined by oxidation of the peracetylated polysaccharide with chromium trioxide and by 1H- and 13C-n.m.r. spectroscopy. The following structure was assigned to the repeating unit of the polysaccharide,----3)-beta-D-Galp-(1----3)-[alpha-D-Galp-(1----6)]-beta- D- Glcp-(1----3)-alpha-D-GalpNAc-(1----.     

Characterization of bacteriocin 28 produced by Clostridium perfringens

Bacteriocin 28, produced by Clostridium perfringens, was characterized by gel filtration and sodium dodecyl sulfate - polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as a glycoprotein with a molecule weight of approximately 100,000. Density gradient centrifugation suggested a lower weight of 84,000. The bacteriocin bound firmly to phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B gel, indicating hydrophobic properties, and elution from this gel with ethylene glycol clearly separated bacteriocin from the alpha and theta toxins of C. perfringens, the latter of which was also hydrophobic. Bacteriocin 28 was immunogenic, inducing neutralizing and precipitating antibodies, and possessed three isoelectric points: 7.37, 7.05, and 5.4. Amino acid and carbohydrate analysis of the active material showed a composition of 15 amino acids and several carbohydrates. The molecule demonstrated instability with increasing purification, and several approaches to purification are described.     

嗜热链球菌CGMCC 1.1864所产的一种新型细菌素ST9

本文利用琼脂扩散法测定嗜热链球菌(Streptocccus thermophilus) CGMCC 1.1864发酵上清液的抑菌效果, 结果表明此菌能够产生抑菌物质, 且在排除有机酸和过氧化氢的影响后上清液不但能抑制革兰氏阳性菌, 对革兰氏阴性菌也有抑制能力。此抑菌物质具有热稳定性, 于100°C处理 2 h及121°C处理20 min仍保留抑菌活性, 但若将其在100°C处理2 h的上清液立即置于?20°C保存, 其抑菌活性有较大损失。常温下(37°C), 该抑菌物质在pH 2.0?9.0范围内有很好的稳定性。发酵上清液经各种蛋白酶及?-淀粉酶处理后抑菌活性完全消失, 而对过氧化氢酶不敏感, 表明此抑菌物质为多肽, 属于细菌素, 本文初步将其命名为嗜热链球菌素ST9。由于ST9对其产生菌具有吸附作用, 选择pH吸附释放法对该嗜热链球菌素进行粗提, 然后经SephadexG-25凝胶层析柱除去杂蛋白, 最后冷冻干燥得纯品。通过Tricine-SDS-PAGE分析得到其分子量约为5.0 kD。     

Characterization of a theta-replicating plasmid from Streptococcus thermophilus

Plasmids of Streptococcus thermophilus were previously classified, based on DNA homology, into at least four groups (A-D). Here, we report the characterization of plasmids of group B and D. The sequence analysis of pSMQ173b (group D) indicates that this plasmid contains 4449 bp, five open reading frames (ORFs) and replicates via the rolling-circle mechanism of the pGI3 family. The plasmid pSMQ308 (group B) contains 8144 bp and six ORFs. Two ORFs likely encode a primase/helicase and an integrase. Northern blot experiments demonstrate that these two orfs are transcribed within the three strains containing plasmids of group B. Two-dimensional agarose gel electrophoresis shows that pSMQ308 replicates via a theta mechanism. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a plasmid replicating via a theta mode in S. thermophilus. Finally, a classification of 20 sequenced S. thermophilus plasmids into six groups based on their mode of replication is proposed.     

Structure of the exopolysaccharide produced by Streptococcus thermophilus S3

The exopolysaccharide of Streptococcus thermophilus S3, produced in skimmed milk, is composed of D-galactose and L-rhamnose in a molar ratio of 2:1. The polysaccharide contains 0.4 equiv of O-acetyl groups per repeating unit. Linkage analysis and 1D/2D NMR (1H and 13C) studies on native and O-deacetylated EPS together with nanoES-CID tandem mass spectrometry studies on oligosaccharides generated by a periodate oxidation protocol, show the polysaccharide to have the following structure: [structure: see text].     

Structural studies of an exopolysaccharide produced by Streptococcus thermophilus THS

The structure of an extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) from Streptococcus thermophilus THS has been determined. A combination of component analysis, methylation analysis and NMR spectroscopy shows that the polysaccharide is composed of pentasaccharide repeating units. Sequential information was obtained by two-dimensional (1)H,(1)H-NOESY and (1)H,(13)C-HMBC NMR experiments. NMR data indicate different mobility within the EPS with a stiffer backbone and a more flexible side-chain.     

Characterization of bacteriocin produced by Pediococcus pentosaceus from wine

A.M. STRASSER DE SAAD AND M.C. MANCA DE NADRA. 1993. Twenty strains of Pediococcus pentosaceus isolated from wine were examined for production of bacteriocins. Only two of them showed inhibitory activity, Ped. pentosaceus N4p against the indicator strains of the same species and N5p against 19 strains of the three genera of lactic acid bacteria from wine. The antimicrobial substance from N5p strains was removed by membrane (0.2 μm) filtration, destroyed by organic solvents and proteolytic enzymes. It was stable for 60 min at 100C. The bacteriocin was produced early in the growth cycle and its production was maximum after 48 h of culture in tomato juice medium at an initial pH of 6.5. The bactericidal effect was observed.     

Mechanism of action of lactostrepcin 5, a bacteriocin produced by Streptococcus cremoris 202

The mechanism of bactericidal activity of lactostrepcin 5 (Las 5), a bacteriocin produced by Streptococcus cremoris 202, was investigated. Las 5 did not kill protoplasts of sensitive cells, and its activity was decreased about 10-fold after pretreatment of the cells with trypsin, suggesting the involvement of the cell wall in the activity of this bacteriocin. In susceptible cells, the bacteriocin slowed down and then stopped synthesis of DNA, RNA, and protein, although this did not appear to be the primary effect of Las 5 action. Las 5 also inhibited uridine transport in susceptible cells and induced leakage of K+ ions and ATP. Survival of cells treated with Las 5 in phosphate buffer was higher in the presence of K+, CA2+, or Mg2+ ions.     

Characterization of binding sites for a bacteriocin produced by Mycobacterium smegmatis.

A bacteriocin from Mycobacterium smegmatis ATCC 14468 which adsorbed to the cell wall-enriched fraction and the crude lipopolysaccharide preparation from Mycobacterium diernhoferi ATCC 19340 was inhibited by D-glucose and alpha-linked glucosylated derivatives.     

Characterization of plantaricin KW30, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus plantarum

A protease-sensitive antibacterial substance, produced by a strain of Lactobacillus plantarum isolated from fermented corn, was classified as a bacteriocin and designated plantaricin KW30. The bacteriocin was stable to heat, pH and treatment with surfactants, and unaffected by α-amylase, lipase or lysozyme. Plantaricin KW30 exhibited a bactericidal and non-bacteriolytic mode of action against indicator cells, and inhibitory activity was limited to other lactobacilli. Maximum production was in MRS broth, and coincided with the onset of stationary phase under conditions of low pH and high cell numbers. In a complex medium bacteriocin production was enhanced by the presence of sodium acetate and Tween 80. Curing experiments gave derivatives that no longer produced the bacteriocin but retained immunity to it. These Bac derivatives showed the same plasmid pattern as the parent strain suggesting a chromosomal location for the genes for bacteriocin production.     

Characterization of the exopolysaccharide produced by Streptococcus thermophilus 8S containing an open chain nononic acid.

The exopolysaccharide produced by Streptococcus thermophilus 8S in reconstituted skimmed milk is a heteropolysaccharide containing d-galactose, d-glucose, d-ribose, and N-acetyl-d-galactosamine in a molar ratio of 2 : 1 : 1 : 1. Furthermore, the polysaccharide contains one equivalent of a novel open chain nononic acid constituent, 3,9-dideoxy-d-threo-d-altro-nononic acid, ether-linked via C-2 to C-6 of an additional d-glucose per repeating unit. Methylation analysis and 1D/2D NMR studies (1H and 13C) performed on the native polysaccharide, and mass spectrometric and NMR analyses of the oligosaccharide obtained from the polysaccharide by de-N-acetylation followed by deamination and reduction demonstrated the 'hepta'saccharide repeating unit to be: -->4)-alpha-D-Galp-(1-->2)-beta-D-Ribf-(1-->4)-beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1--7')-Sub-(1-->4)-beta-D-GalpNAc-(1--> in which Sug is 6-O-(3',9'-dideoxy-d-threo-d-altro-nononic acid-2'-yl)-alpha-d-glucopyranose.     

Structural characterisation of the exopolysaccharide produced by Streptococcus thermophilus EU20

Streptococcus thermophilus EU20 when grown on skimmed milk secretes a high-molecular-weight exopolysaccharide that is composed of glucose, galactose and rhamnose in a molar ratio of 2:3:2. Using chemical techniques and 1D and 2D-NMR spectroscopy (1H and 13C) the polysaccharide has been shown to possess a heptasaccharide repeating unit having the following structure: [chemical structure: see text]. Treatment of the polysaccharide with mild acid (0.5 M TFA, 100 degrees C for 1 h) liberates two oligosaccharides; the components correspond to the repeating unit and a hexasaccharide equivalent to the repeating unit minus the terminal alpha-L-Rhap.