Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026

A Method to Assess Bacteriocin Effects on the Gut Microbiota of Mice
Published on: July 25, 2017
Enterocin HZ produced by a wild Enterococcus faecium strain isolated from a traditional, starter-free pickled cheese
Zeliha Yildirim1, Harun Bilgin1, Hilal Isleroglu1
1Faculty of Engineering, Department of Food Engineering, Nigde University, Nigde, Turkey.
Abstract:
Bacteriogenic Enterococcus faecium HZ was identified by using biochemical (Strep-API 20, API-50 CHL, fatty acid profile) and 16S rRNA analysis (99·99 %). Ent. faecium HZ was sensitive to clinically important antibiotics such as vancomycin, and did not have gelatinase and haemolysis activities. Enterocin HZ, a bacteriocin from Ent. faecium HZ, was sensitive to papain and tyripsin, but resistant to pepsin, lipase, catalase, α-amylase, organic solvents, detergents, ß-mercaptoethanol, and heat treatment (90 °C/30 min). It was biologically active at pH 2·0-9·0 and synthesised at the highest level in MRS or M17 broth at 32 or 37 °C with an inoculum amount of 0·1-0·5 % and an initial pH of 6·0-7·0. Enterocin HZ production reached maximum level at middle and late logarithmic phase and its molecular weight was ∼4·5 kDa. It was active against some Gram-positive foodborne bacteria. Ent. faecium HZ or its bacteriocin enterocin HZ is a good candidate to be studied as a food biopreservative since enterocin HZ showed strong bactericidal activity against Listeria monocytogenes in UHT milk and also Ent. faecium HZ grew very well in milk and produced enterocin HZ at maximum level.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Microbes in the Production of Fermented Foods
Stringent Response in E. coli
Microbes in Food Production
Production of Antibiotics
Bacterial Gastroenteritis
Other Unique Bacteria

