Identification of a new Bacillus licheniformis strain producing a bacteriocin-like substance

The emergence of antibiotic resistance has spurred a great number of studies for development of new antimicrobials in the past decade. The purpose of this study was to screen environmental samples for Bacillus strains producing potent antimicrobial agents. A new strain, which showed strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enterica ser. Pullorum, was isolated from soil and designated as B116. This new isolate was identified as Bacillus licheniformis by morphological, biochemical and genetic analyses. The production of bacteriocin-like substance (BLS) started at early exponential phase and achieved highest level at early stationary phase. The BLS was precipitated by ammonium sulfate and its molecular mass was determined as ～4 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Culture supernatant of the new isolate exhibited antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Micrococcus luteus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella spp. The BLS was resistant to heat, acid and alkaline treatment. Activity of the BLS was totally lost after digestion by pronase and partially lost after digestion by papain and lipase. The new isolate and relevant BLS are potentially useful in food and feed applications.