Screening, identification and characterization of bacteriocins produced by wine-isolated LAB strains

To screen and identify wine-isolated LAB strains for bacteriocin production, and to identify and characterize bacteriocins.

One hundred and fifty-five LAB strains isolated from South African red wines undergoing spontaneous malolactic fermentation were screened for bacteriocin production. Eight isolates were identified to be bacteriocin producers and were identified as Enterococcus faecium. All eight isolates had the same phenotypic and genotypic profiles. The peptides were preliminarily identified as enterocin P using mass spectrometry and further confirmed by PCR-amplifying enterocin P gene. The enterocin activity was inhibited by α-Chymotrypsin, papain and proteinase K treatments. It was heat stable at 37, 60, 80 and 100°C and showed activity over a broad pH range of 2-10. The production of the enterocin followed that of primary metabolite kinetics and, it showed bactericidal effect to some wine spoilage LAB strains.

Our study identified the presence of the enterocin-producing Enterococcus in wine. The enterocin was heat stable; with broad pH range and bactericidal effects to sensitive strains.

This is one of very few studies that isolated Enterococcus species from wine. It is, however, the first to report presence of bacteriocin-producing Enterococcus in wine fermentation.