Purification and partial characterization of lactacin F, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus 11088

Lactacin F, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus 11088 (NCK88), was purified and characterized. Lactacin F is heat stable, proteinaceous, and inhibitory to other lactobacilli as well as Enterococcus faecalis. The bacteriocin was isolated as a floating pellet from culture supernatants brought to 35 to 40% saturation with ammonium sulfate. Native lactacin F was sized at approximately 180 kDa by gel filtration. Column fractions having lactacin F activity were examined by electron microscopy and contained micelle-like globular particles. Purification by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, and high-performance liquid chromatography resulted in a 474-fold increase in specific activity of lactacin F. The purified bacteriocin was identified as a 2.5-kDa peptide by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The lactacin F peptide retained activity after extraction from SDS-PAGE gel slices, confirming the identity of the 2.5-kDa peptide. Variants of NCK88 that failed to exhibit lactacin F activity did not produce the 2.5-kDa band. Sequence analysis of purified lactacin F identified 25 N-terminal amino acids containing an arginine residue at the N terminus. Composition analysis indicates that lactacin F may contain as many as 56 amino acid residues.     

Purification and partial characterization of lactacin F, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus 11088.

Lactacin F, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus 11088 (NCK88), was purified and characterized. Lactacin F is heat stable, proteinaceous, and inhibitory to other lactobacilli as well as Enterococcus faecalis. The bacteriocin was isolated as a floating pellet from culture supernatants brought to 35 to 40% saturation with ammonium sulfate. Native lactacin F was sized at approximately 180 kDa by gel filtration. Column fractions having lactacin F activity were examined by electron microscopy and contained micelle-like globular particles. Purification by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, and high-performance liquid chromatography resulted in a 474-fold increase in specific activity of lactacin F. The purified bacteriocin was identified as a 2.5-kDa peptide by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The lactacin F peptide retained activity after extraction from SDS-PAGE gel slices, confirming the identity of the 2.5-kDa peptide. Variants of NCK88 that failed to exhibit lactacin F activity did not produce the 2.5-kDa band. Sequence analysis of purified lactacin F identified 25 N-terminal amino acids containing an arginine residue at the N terminus. Composition analysis indicates that lactacin F may contain as many as 56 amino acid residues.     

Characterization and purification of acidocin 1B, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus GP1B

In the present study, acidocin 1B, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus GP1B, exhibited profound inhibitory activity against a variety of LAB and pathogens, including Gram-negative bacteria, and its mode of action was to destabilize the cell wall, thereby resulting in bactericidal lysis. Acidocin 1B was found to be heat stable, because it lost no activity when it was heated up to 95 degrees C for 60 min. It retained approximately 67% of the initial activity after storage for 30 days at 4 degrees C, and 50% of its initial activity after 30 days at 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C. The molecular mass of acidocin 1B was estimated to be 4214.65 Da by mass spectrometry. Plasmid curing results indicated that a plasmid, designated as pLA1B, seemed to be responsible for both acidocin 1B production and host immunity, and that the pLA1B could be transformed into competent cells of L. acidophilus ATCC 43121 by electroporation. Our findings indicate that the acidocin 1B and its producer strain may have potential value as a biopreservative in food systems.     

Purification and characterization of a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus IBB 801

Lactobacillus acidophilus IBB 801 produces a small bacteriocin, designated acidophilin 801, with an estimated molecular mass of less than 6.5 kDa. It displays a narrow inhibitory spectrum (only related lactobacilli but including the Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli Row and Salmonella panama 1467) with a bactericidal activity. The antimicrobial activity of cell-free culture supernatant fluid was insensitive to catalase but sensitive to proteolytic enzymes such as trypsin, proteinase K and pronase, heat-stable (30 min at 121 degrees C), and maintained in a wide pH range. The proteinaceous compound was isolated from cell-free culture supernatant fluid and purified. Crude bacteriocin was isolated as a floating pellicle after ammonium sulphate precipitation (40% saturation) and partially purified by extraction/precipitation with chloroform/methanol (2/1, v/v). Further purification to homogeneity was performed by reversed phase Fast Performance Liquid Chromatography. The amino acid composition was determined. Amino acid sequencing revealed that the N-terminal end was blocked.     

Acidophilucin A, a new heat-labile bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus LAPT 1060

Lactobacillus acidophilus LAPT 1060, isolated from infant faeces, produced an antimicrobial agent active against six strains of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and six strains of Lactobacillus helveticus . The agent was sensitive to proteolytic enzymes and heat (10 min at 60°C) and is a bacteriocin and designated acidophilucin A.     

Production kinetics of acidophilin 801, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus IBB 801

Lactobacillus acidophilus IBB 801 produces a small bacteriocin, designated acidophilin 801. Studying the relationship between growth and bacteriocin biosynthesis revealed primary metabolite kinetics of bacteriocin production with a peak activity at the end of the exponential growth phase followed by a decrease during the stationary phase. Both microbial growth and bacteriocin production was inhibited by lactic acid. Whereas volumetric bacteriocin production (activity units (AU) ml(-1)) was favoured under pH-controlled conditions, bacteriocin titres rapidly decreased because of strong adsorption of the bacteriocin molecules to the producing cells under less acidic conditions.     

Mode of action of acidocin 8912, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus TK8912

K.A. HOEKSTRA AND R.J.L. PAULTON. 1996. Disc agar diffusion testing was performed on 547 isolates (two common pathogens) to determine if the site of isolation influenced the antimicrobial susceptibility results for a given bacterium. The most statistically significant results ( P < 0.05) included cephalothin (ear) against Staphylococcus aureus and cephalothin (ear), lincomycin (ear), trimethoprim sulpha (ear), and amoxycilin and clavulanic acid (nose) against Staph. intermedius. Although the impact of these results (empirical treatment) is unknown, it is hypothesized that the site of isolation of Staph. aureus and Staph. intermedius may influence the choice of antimicrobial therapy in the dog and cat.     

Purification and characterisation of acidocin D20079, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 20079

Bacteriocins are natural antimicrobial agents produced by food fermentative bacteria. Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 20079 produces a small bacteriocin, with a molecular mass of 6.6 kDa, designated acidocin D20079. This antimicrobial peptide was extremely heat-stable (30 min at 121 degrees C) and was active over a wide pH range. It was found to be sensitive to proteolytic enzymes (trypsin, ficin, pepsin, papain, and proteinase K). Acidocin D20079 has a narrow inhibitory spectrum restricted to the genus Lactobacillus which includes L. sakei NCDO 2714, an organism known to cause anaerobic spoilage of vacuum-packaged meat. Maximum production of acidocin D20079 in MRS broth was detected at pH 6.0, and the peptide was purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by sequential cation exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Purified acidocin D20079 spontaneously formed spherulite crystals during dialysis. As the N-terminus was found to be blocked for sequencing, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry was used to determine a partial sequence, and the molecular mass of the bacteriocin in the formed crystals (6.6 kDa). Estimates of the molecular weight of the partially purified peptide, using tricine-SDS-PAGE, in which bacteriocin activity was confirmed by overlayer techniques were in accordance with this value.     

Characterization and purification of acidocin CH5, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus CH5

AIMS: To characterize and to purify a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus strain with its activity restricted to Gram-positive bacteria. METHODS AND RESULTS: Native acidocin CH5, a bacteriocin produced by L. acidophilus CH5 an isolate from a dairy starter culture forms in MRS (Oxoid, Basingstoke, UK) broth high-molecular weight aggregates which can dissociate into smaller units (retained by 5 kDa membrane) with higher activity. Acidocin CH5 was purified using combinations of chromatographic methods based on hydrophobic and cation exchange principles and the N-terminal region was sequenced. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results it is evident that acidocin CH5 belongs, according to bacteriocin classification, to the class II bacteriocins with identical N-terminal amino acid sequence described in the literature previously. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The study has provided further data on bacteriocin acidocin CH5 from class II with wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity atypical for bacteriocins produced by L. acidophilus sharing the same homology.     

Plantacin B, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus plantarum NCDO 1193

Abstract Strains of Lactobacillus plantarum and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were tested for bacteriocin production against each other and a range of closely related bacteria. L. plantarum 1193 was found to produce an inhibitory substance active against L. plantarum 340 and 1752, L. mesenteroides 8015 and Pediococcus damnosus 1832. This substance is a potential bacteriocin and has been named plantacin B.     

Antimicrobial activity of lactobacilli: preliminary characterization and optimization of production of acidocin B, a novel bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus M46

Approximately 1000 lactobacillus strains were isolated and screened for the production of antimicrobial activity, using a target panel of spoilage organisms and pathogens. Only eight positive strains were found; two of these were studied in more detail. Lactobacillus salivarius M7 produces the new broad spectrum bacteriocin salivaricin B which inhibits the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Brochothrix thermosphacta, Enterococcus faecalis and many lactobacilli. A new atypical bacteriocin produced by Lact. acidophilus M46, acidocin B, combines the inhibition of Clostridium sporogenes with a very narrow activity spectrum within the genus Lactobacillus and was selected for further characterization. Acidocin B is sensitive to trypsin, heat-stable (80°C for 20 min) and can be extracted from the culture supernatant fluid with butanol. Native acidocin B occurs as a large molecular weight complex (100 kDa), while with SDS-PAGE the partly purified activity migrates as a peptide of 2·4 kDa. Optimization of the cultivation conditions resulted in an eightfold increase of the amount of acidocin B produced during growth. Growth is not necessary for acidocin B production; washed producer cells can synthesize the bacteriocin in a chemically defined production medium. The application potential of acidocin B is discussed.     

Primary amino acid and DNA sequences of gassericin T, a lactacin F-family bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055

A broad-spectral bacteriocin, named gassericin T, produced by Lactobacillus gasseri SBT 2055 (from human feces) was isolated to homogeneity from the culture supernatant by hydrophobic chromatography. By SDS-PAGE and in situ activity assay, the purified gassericin T migrated as a single band with bacteriocin activity and molecular size of 5,400. A 2.9-kbp HindIII-HindIII fragment of chromosome DNA was hybridized with the oligonucleotide probe designed from the partial N-terminal amino acid sequence of gassericin T and was cloned. Six ORFs including the structural gene of gassericin T were deduced by computer analysis and the data bases. The structural gene of gassericin T (gatA) was identified as the fourth ORF, which encoded a protein composed of 75 amino acids that included the GG motif of the cleavage site. Chemical sequencing analysis of the complete amino acid sequence showed that gassericin T (57 amino acids) had a disulfide bond in the molecule and no modified amino acid residues, making it a class II bacteriocin. The gassericin T had 60% sequence similarity to mature LafA (57 amino acids, lactacin F, bacteriocins produced by L. johnsonii VPI11088), and the sequences around the processing site and C-terminal area were well conserved. The fifth ORF was designated as gatX, encoded as a peptide composed of 65 amino acids containing the GG motif of the putative cleavage site, however mature GatX and its antibacterial activity were not detected in the culture supernatant. GatX has higher similarity with LafX than with lactobin A (50 amino acids) belonging to the first lactacin F-family. These results indicated that gassericin T belongs to the hydrophobic class II bacteriocins and the most vicinal lactacin F-family.     

Partial purification and characterization of the bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus YIT 0154

One strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus was found to produce a bacteriocin-like substance in the culture filtrate. The substance was produced in a growth-associated manner, showed heat stability at neutral and acidic pH and exhibited antibacterial activity against various species of Lactobacillus including L. acidophilus itself. The molecular weight of the substance was in the range of 6.2-95 kDa. N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis suggests that the substance may belong to class IIb bacteriocin.     

Production and physicochemical characterization of acidocin D20079, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 20079

Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 20079 is the producer of a novel bacteriocin termed acidocin D20079. In this paper, a partial sequence of this peptide is determined, together with data on its secondary structure. A modification of the MRS-growth medium (replacing the detergent Tween 80 with oleic acid), was shown to improve the production level of the peptide by one order of magnitude, as well as to stabilize the activity level. Addition of a detergent (Tween 20, less interfering in mass spectrometric analysis), was however necessary for solubilization of the purified acidocin D20079. Digestion of the peptide followed by de-novo sequencing of generated fragments, allowed determination of a partial sequence consisting of 39 of the totally estimated 65 residues. Acidocin D20079 has a high content of glycine residues, hydrophobic residues, and acidic residues. No modified amino acids were found. Edman degradation, and C-terminal sequencing failed, suggesting that the peptide may be cyclic, and a novel member of class IIc bacteriocins. Circular dichroism spectroscopy and secondary structure prediction showed random coil conformation in aqueous solution, but secondary structure was induced in the presence of sodium-dodecyl sulfate. The data could be fitted assuming 2–13% of the residues to be in α-helix and 23–27% of the residues to be in β-strand conformation. This indicates that a membrane/membrane-mimicking hydrocarbon–water interface induces an active conformation.     

Purification and some properties of acidocin 8912, a novel bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus TK8912.

Acidocin 8912, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus TK8912, was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation and successive chromatographies on CM-cellulose, Sephadex G-50, Sephadex G-25, and reversed-phase HPLC on Aquapore RP-300. The purified acidocin 8912 migrated as a single band on SDS-PAGE. The molecular weight was estimated to be 5200 by SDS-PAGE, and 5400 by HPLC gel filtration on TSKgel G3000PWXL. Both the amino acid composition and the N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis indicated that acidocin 8912 was a peptide composed of presumably 50 amino acids containing a Lys residue at the N-terminus. The purified acidocin 8912 showed a bactericidal effect on sensitive cells but not a bacteriolytic effect.     

Antibacterial activity of plantaricin SIK-83, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus plantarum

Lactobacillus plantarum SIK-83 produces a bacteriocin, designated plantaricin SIK-83, which inhibits 66 of 68 lactic acid bacteria from the genera Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus and Streptococcus. A 500-fold dilution of L. plantarum SIK-83 MRS culture supernatant with phosphate buffer was sufficient to kill 10(5) cells/ml of Pediococcus pentosaceus within 120 s. The killing of a sensitive population followed exponential kinetics. It was shown that the bacteriocin binds specifically to sensitive cells but not to nonsensitive lactic acid bacteria, the producer strain or Gram-negative bacteria. Sensitive cells, after exposure to the bacteriocin, could be rescued by treatment with proteolytic enzymes. In buffer, plantaricin SIK-83 was adsorbed to the cell surface almost immediately, and morphological lesions were observed within 2 h after the cells were exposed to the bacteriocin. The lethal mode of action appeared to be due to damage to the cell membrane, resulting in cell lysis, which was detected by electron microscopy and by determination of released intracellular components.     

Isolation, partial characterization and mode of action of acidocin J1229, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus JCM 1229

Lactobacillus acidophilus JCM 1229 produces a heat-stable bacteriocin, designated as acidocin J1229, that has a narrow inhibitory spectrum. Production of acidocin J1229 in MRS broth was pH dependent, with maximum activity detected in broth culture maintained at pH 5:0. Acidocin J1229 was purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation and sequential cation exchange and reversed-phase chromatographies. The sequence of the first 24 amino acid residues of the N terminus of acidocin J1229 was determined. The molecular mass of acidocin J1229 as determined by mass spectrometry was 6301 Da. Acidocin J1229 showed a bactericidal effect but not a bacteriolytic effect on sensitive cells. Acidocin J1229 dissipated the membrane potential and the pH gradient in sensitive cells, which affected such proton motive force-dependent processes as amino acid transport. Acidocin J1229 also caused an efflux of glutamate, previously taken up via a unidirectional ATP-driven transport system. Secondary structure prediction revealed the presence of an amphiphilic a-helix region that could form hydrophilic pores. These results suggest that acidocin J1229 is a pore-forming peptide that creates cell membrane channels through the 'barrel-stave'mechanism.     

Detection and activity of a bacteriocin produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides.

Leuconostoc mesenteroides UL5 was found to produce a bacteriocin, referred as mesenterocin 5, active against Listeria monocytogenes strains but with no effect on several useful lactic acid bacteria. The antimicrobial substance is a protein, since its activity was completely destroyed following protease (pronase) treatment. However, it was relatively heat stable (100 degrees C for 30 min) and partially denaturated by chloroform. The inhibitory effect of the bacteriocin on sensitive bacterial strains was determined by a critical-dilution micromethod. Mutants of L. mesenteroides UL5 which had lost the capacity to produce the bacteriocin were obtained. The mutant strain was stable and phenotypically identical to parental cells and remained resistant to the bacteriocin. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to detect bacteriocin activity corresponding to an apparent molecular mass of about 4.5 kDa.