Enterocin B, a new bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecium T136 which can act synergistically with enterocin A.
The strain Enterococcus faecium T136 produces two bacteriocins, enterocin A, a member of the pediocin family of bacteriocins, and a new bacteriocin termed enterocin B. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of enterocins A and B were determined, and the gene encoding enterocin B was sequenced. The primary translation product was a 71 aa peptide containing a leader peptide of the double-glycine type which is cleaved off to give mature enterocin B of 53 aa. Enterocin B does not belong to the pediocin family of bacteriocins and shows strong homology to carnobacteriocin A. However, sequence similarities in their leader peptides and C-termini suggest that enterocin B and carnobacteriocin A are related to bacteriocins of the pediocin family. Enterocins A and B had only slightly different inhibitory spectra, and both were active against a wide range of Gram-positive bacteria, including listeriae, staphylococci and most lactic acid bacteria tested. Both had bactericidal activities, but survival at a frequency of 10(-4)-10(-2) was observed when sensitive cultures were exposed to either bacteriocin. The number of survivors was drastically reduced when a mixture of the two bacteriocins was added to the cells.
Casaus
Pilar
P
Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología III Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 2804O-Madrid, Spain.
Nilsen
Trine
T
Laboratory of Microbial Gene Technology, Agricultural University of Norway, f0 Box 5051, N-1432 As, Norway.
Cintas
Luis M
LM
Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología III Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 2804O-Madrid, Spain.
Nes
Ingolf F
IF
Laboratory of Microbial Gene Technology, Agricultural University of Norway, f0 Box 5051, N-1432 As, Norway.
Hernández
Pablo E
PE
Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología III Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 2804O-Madrid, Spain.
Holo
Helge
H
Laboratory of Microbial Gene Technology, Agricultural University of Norway, f0 Box 5051, N-1432 As, Norway.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001483:Base Sequence; D004357:Drug Synergism; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017421:Sequence Analysis
D001430:Bacteriocins; C107799:enterocin A; C107801:enterocin B