Isolation and characterization of Escherichia coli strains producing microcins of B and C types |
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Authors: | Inessa A. Khmel Victor M. Bondarenko Irina M. Manokhina Eugenia I. Basyuk Anastasia Z. Metlitskaya Valentina A. Lipasova Yulia M. Romanova |
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Affiliation: | Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia; Gamaleya Institute for Epidemiology and Microbiology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russia |
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Abstract: | Abstract A screening of 11956 enterobacteria isolates resulted in selection of seven active microcin-producing strains. The microcins were shown to be peptides or their derivatives with a rather broad spectrum of activity, mainly against Gram-negative bacteria. According to cross-immunity criteria, the microcins studied belonged to two of the previously suggested types, B (five strains) and C (two strains). Those of type B could be further classified into two subtypes on the account of differences in the spectrum of antibacterial activity. In five cases out of seven the microcin-producing ability has been attributed to plasmids that the strains harboured. The effect of microcins on sensitive cells was shown to depend on ompR and ompF gene products. |
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Keywords: | Microcin Peptide antibiotics Escherichia coli Plasmid determining microcins |
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