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Bacteriocin

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Background

Bacteriocins are potent small and heat-stable bactericidal peptides with antimicrobial properties against different groups of microorganisms, they are ribosomally-synthesized antimicrobial peptides produced by bacteria. Bacteriocins are protein compounds that are lethal to all bacteria except the strain that produces them. As a group, bacteriocins are heterogeneous, and they are classified largely based on their molecular weight differences. Bacteriocins can be divided into two groups: Class I, lanthionine-containing bacteriocins (also known as lantibiotics), and Class II, lanthionine-free bacteriocins. Bacteriocin activity profiles can be narrow, restricted to inhibition of closely related species, or relatively broad, including many different bacterial species.

Bacteriocins can function as colonizing peptides.Fig.1 Bacteriocins can function as colonizing peptides. (Walsh, 2021)

Functions

The antibacterial properties of bacteriocins are exploited in food research. Bacteriocins are considered natural and safe food additives after being absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract. They have the interesting properties of stability, antibacterial action, potency, and not changing taste. Bacteriocins can be added to food through the direct inoculation of the producer strains as a concentrated fermented product or as a gradual-release preparation. Bacteriocins in general can reduce the cost of food handling while increasing the shelf life of products. Bacteriocins can be used alone or in combination with other known antimicrobials to target biofilms. Biofilms are structured bacterial consortia found in polymeric matrices and can be attached to both biotic and abiotic substrates. Bacteriocins provide a potential alternative therapeutic strategy for the treatment of MDR and chronic bacterial infections.

Mode of Action (MOA)

The mode of action of bacteriocins, which kill bacterial strains resistant to antibiotics, is often different from that of specific antibiotics. In addition, bacteriocins exhibit antimicrobial activity at concentrations much lower than those required for antibiotics. Bacteriocins are commonly used strategically by commensal bacteria to colonize and survive in the human gut. They may act like "probiotics". Bacteriocin's mechanism of action to inactivate bacteria is very similar to traditional antibiotics, as follows:

  • Action on the synthesis of cell wall
  • Inhibition of DNA replication
  • Interference with protein synthesis
  • Disruption of membrane structure
  • Septum formation which helps in inactivating bacteria

Advantages of Bacteriocins

Bacteriocins have the advantages of low toxicity to eukaryotic cells, low MIC value to some strains, and a wide temperature resistance range. Some bacteriocins have broad application prospects in controlling the crisis of multidrug-resistant pathogens. These advantages of bacteriocins make them useful antimicrobials. In addition to these advantages, bacteriocins also have biomedical applications, such as Nisin, which has therapeutic effects on oral cancer without affecting normal tissues and cells. Bacteriocins typically have narrow to broad inhibitory profiles, meaning that insensitive commensal bacteria in the microbiome are not perturbed. As with phage therapies, an advantage of bacteriocins is that they are thought to have a lower potential for selective resistance than antibiotics.

Creative Biolabs is comprised of a passionate group of multidisciplinary professional background biologists with decades of industry experience and a proven track record in delivering cost-effective phage solutions. The company was founded with one purpose: to promote scientific discovery and pharmaceutical innovation by providing the most advanced and cost-effective phage technology platform. If you want to learn more about our phage services, please do not hesitate to contact us for more.

Reference:

  1. Walsh, L.; et al. Efficacy of Phage- and Bacteriocin-Based Therapies in Combatting Nosocomial MRSA Infections. Front Mol Biosci. 2021, 8: 654038.
For Research Use Only. Do NOT use in humans.

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