Partial Purification and Characterization of the Mode of Action of Enterocin S37 : A Bacteriocin Produced by Enterococcus faecalis S37 Isolated from Poultry Feces

الملخص EN

The aim of this research was to purify and characterize the mode of action of enterocin S37, a bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecalis S37, a strain recently isolated from the chicken feces.

Enterocin S37 has a molecular weight comprised between 4 and 5 kDa.

It remained active after 1 h at 80oC and at pH values ranging from 4.0 to 9.0.

Furthermore, cell-free supernatant of Enterococcus faecalis S37 and purified enterocin S37 were active against Gram-positive bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes EGDe, L.

innocua F, Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2, and Lactobacillus brevis F145.

The purification of enterocin S37 was performed by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed up by hydrophobic-interaction chromatography procedures.

Treatment of enterocin S37 with proteinase K, α-chymotrypsin, and papain confirmed its proteinaceous nature, while its treatment with lysozyme and lipase resulted in no alteration of activity.

Enterocin S37 is hydrophobic, anti-Listeria and likely acting by depletion of intracellular K+ ions upon action on KATP channels.

This study contributed to gain more insights into the mode of action of enterocins.