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Updated: Jul 11, 2026
A Method to Assess Bacteriocin Effects on the Gut Microbiota of Mice
Published on: July 25, 2017
Purification and partial characterization of a bacteriocin produced by Eikenella corrodens
A C M Apolônio1, M A R Carvalho, M P Bemquerer
1Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Aims:
The purpose of this study was to purify and characterize a bacteriocin produced by Eikenella corrodens A32E2.
Methods And Results:
Peptostreptococcus anaerobius ATCC27337 was used as indicator strain in antagonistic assays for bacteriocin-producing E. corrodens A32E2. Protein extraction was influenced by pH and buffer composition. The protein was active in the pH range 6-8. Inhibitory activity was lost by both heating and treatment with proteolytic enzymes and decreased with organic solvents. The substance is rather unstable but maintains 100% of its activity after being exposed to acetone and when stored at -70 degrees C. The antagonistic substance was first precipitated by ammonium sulfate and further partially purified by Mono-Q FPLC and C-18 HPLC. Mass spectrometry analysis showed that the molecular mass was 23 625 Da, and the sequence obtained for the N-terminus was: Met-Asn-Phe-Asp-Glu-Lys-Val-Gly-Lys-Val-X-Phe-Lys-Val-Gly-Asp.
Conclusions:
The evidence presented in this study supports the idea that an antagonistic substance produced by E. corrodens A32E2 isolated from a periodontal diseased site is a novel bacteriocin, which we designate corrodecin.
Significance And Impact Of The Study:
We anticipated that corrodecin might play an important role at the periodontal site. This compound could also be attractive in biotechnological applications as an interesting tool for oral ecosystem control.
