title: Lantibiotics produced by Actinobacteria and their potential applications (a review).
abstract: The phylum Actinobacteria, which comprises a great variety of Gram-positive bacteria with a high G+C content in their genomes, is known for its large production of bioactive compounds, including those with antimicrobial activity. Among the antimicrobials, bacteriocins, ribosomally synthesized peptides, represent an important arsenal of potential new drugs to face the increasing prevalence of resistance to antibiotics among microbial pathogens. The actinobacterial bacteriocins form a heterogeneous group of substances that is difficult to adapt to most proposed classification schemes. However, recent updates have accommodated efficiently the diversity of bacteriocins produced by this phylum. Among the bacteriocins, the lantibiotics represent a source of new antimicrobials to control infections caused mainly by Gram-positive bacteria and with a low propensity for resistance development. Moreover, some of these compounds have additional biological properties, exhibiting activity against viruses and tumour cells and having also potential to be used in blood pressure or inflammation control and in pain relief. Thus, lantibiotics already described in Actinobacteria exhibit potential practical applications in medical settings, food industry and agriculture, with examples at different stages of pre-clinical and clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia Médica, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karen Machado
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia Médica, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael Silva
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria do Carmo
authors.initials: MDC
authors.lastname: de Freire Bastos
mesh_terms: D039903:Actinobacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001430:Bacteriocins