Enterocin TW21, a novel bacteriocin from dochi-isolated Enterococcus faecium D081821

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Food Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Enterococcus faecium D081821, isolated from Taiwanese dochi, produces bacteriocins.
• Previous studies indicated its activity against Listeria monocytogenes and Gram-positive bacteria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To purify and characterize a novel bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecium D081821.
• To determine the bacteriocin's potential as a natural food preservative.

Main Methods:

• Bacteriocin purification using ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sep-Pak C18 cartridge, ion-exchange, and gel filtration chromatography.
• Mass spectrometry for molecular weight determination (approx. 5300.6 Da).
• N-terminal amino acid sequencing via Edman degradation and identification of the encoding open reading frame (ORF) from the genome sequence.

Main Results:

• A novel bacteriocin, named enterocin TW21, was successfully purified.
• Mass spectrometry confirmed a molecular mass of approximately 5300.6 Da.
• N-terminal sequencing revealed the YGNGV motif characteristic of class IIa bacteriocins.

Conclusions:

• Enterocin TW21 is a novel class IIa bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecium D081821.
• The bacteriocin exhibits significant inhibitory activity against Listeria monocytogenes.
• Enterocin TW21 holds promise for application as a natural food preservative.