Characterization and application of enterocin RM6, a bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecalis

Biomed Res Int. 2013:2013:206917. doi: 10.1155/2013/206917. Epub 2013 Jun 13.

Abstract

Use of bacteriocins in food preservation has received great attention in recent years. The goal of this study is to characterize enterocin RM6 from Enterococcus faecalis OSY-RM6 and investigate its efficacy against Listeria monocytogenes in cottage cheese. Enterocin RM6 was purified from E. faecalis culture supernatant using ion exchange column, multiple C18-silica cartridges, followed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The molecular weight of enterocin RM6 is 7145.0823 as determined by mass spectrometry (MS). Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis revealed that enterocin RM6 is a 70-residue cyclic peptide with a head-to-tail linkage between methionine and tryptophan residues. The peptide sequence of enterocin RM6 was further confirmed by sequencing the structural gene of the peptide. Enterocin RM6 is active against Gram-positive bacteria, including L. monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Enterocin RM6 (final concentration in cottage cheese, 80 AU/mL) caused a 4-log reduction in population of L. monocytogenes inoculated in cottage cheese within 30 min of treatment. Therefore, enterocin RM6 has potential applications as a potent antimicrobial peptide against foodborne pathogens in food.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacteriocins / chemistry
  • Bacteriocins / isolation & purification*
  • Bacteriocins / metabolism*
  • Bacteriocins / pharmacology
  • Base Sequence
  • Cheese / microbiology
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Complex Mixtures
  • Enterococcus faecalis / metabolism*
  • Listeria monocytogenes / drug effects
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Microbial Viability / drug effects
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Molecular Weight
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / pharmacology
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Bacteriocins
  • Complex Mixtures
  • Peptides
  • enterocin S37, Enterococcus faecalis