Mining, heterologous expression, purification, antibactericidal mechanism, and application of bacteriocins: A review

Abstract

Bacteriocins are generally considered as low‐molecular‐weight ribosomal peptides or proteins synthesized by G+ and G− bacteria that inhibit or kill other related or unrelated microorganisms. However, low yield is an important factor restricting the application of bacteriocins. This paper reviews mining methods, heterologous expression in different systems, the purification technologies applied to bacteriocins, and identification methods, as well as the antibacterial mechanism and applications in three different food systems. Bioinformatics improves the efficiency of bacteriocins mining. Bacteriocins can be heterologously expressed in different expression systems (e.g., Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus, and yeast). Ammonium sulfate precipitation, dialysis membrane, pH‐mediated cell adsorption/desorption, solvent extraction, macroporous resin column, and chromatography are always used as purification methods for bacteriocins. The bacteriocins are identified through electrophoresis and mass spectrum. Cell envelope (e.g., cell permeabilization and pore formation) and inhibition of gene expression are common antibacterial mechanisms of bacteriocins. Bacteriocins can be added to protect meat products (e.g., beef and sausages), dairy products (e.g., cheese, milk, and yogurt), and vegetables and fruits (e.g., salad, apple juice, and soybean sprouts). The future research directions are also prospected.

Ribosomally synthesized peptides, foreground players in microbial interactions: recent developments and unanswered questions

“…A great number of reviews have previously described and tentatively classified the diverse bacteriocins and microcins according to their biochemical characteristics or their gene cluster organization. 54,57–62 Such classifications are regularly evolving, following the discovery of new peptides and new PTMs. Here, we only consider a simplified view of the main classes of RSPs through the selection of URiPs and RiPPs that have been shown to play a role in microbial interactions, either as competition or signalling molecules and fall within the focus of this review (Table 1).…”

Antibacterial Activity of Pediocin and Pediocin-Producing Bacteria Against Listeria monocytogenes in Meat Products

“…The bacteria that are taxonomically close may be inhibited by narrowspectrum bacteriocins, while a wide variety of bacteria are inhibited by broad-spectrum bacteriocins (Cotter et al, 2005;O'Connor et al, 2020). Based on the producer organism, MW, chemical structure, existence of modified amino acids, and thermal stability, the bacteriocins can be classified into four groups (Class I, II, III, and IV) (López-Cuellar et al, 2016;Johnson et al, 2018;Kumariya et al, 2019;Cui et al, 2021). The main classes and sub-classes of bacteriocin and their characteristics are shown in Figure 1.…”

“…Antimicrobial activities of bacteriocins are carried out through various mechanisms such as destruction of cell wall and membrane integrity, interference with cell wall formation, inhibition synthesis of protein, and inhibition of gene expression. These bactericidal mechanisms depend on the class of bacteriocins and indicator bacteria (Balciunas et al, 2013;Cavera et al, 2015;Porto et al, 2017;Cui et al, 2021).…”

Targeted Genome Mining Reveals the Psychrophilic Clostridium estertheticum Complex as a Potential Source for Novel Bacteriocins, Including Cesin A and Estercticin A

“…Conventionally, identification of new and active bacteriocins is based on phenotypic screening assays that are often labor- and time-intensive ( Cui et al, 2021 ). Recent advances in genomics and bioinformatics have allowed these challenges to be overcome and provided vast opportunities for genome-mining-based discovery of bacteriocins and other novel natural products ( Williams et al, 2020 ; Zhong et al, 2020 ).…”