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Class III bacteriocin Helveticin-M causes sublethal damage on target cells through impairment of cell wall and

Zhilan Sun1, Xiaomeng Wang1, Xinxiao Zhang1

  • 1Institute of Agricultural Products Processing, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, People's Republic of China.

Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology
|January 20, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Helveticin-M, a novel bacteriocin, damages bacterial cell walls and membranes, causing sublethal, bacteriostatic effects rather than cell death. This antimicrobial peptide impacts both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Lactobacillus crispatus produces Helveticin-M, a Class III bacteriocin.
  • Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides with potential therapeutic applications.
  • Understanding the mechanism of action is crucial for developing new antimicrobial strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the cellular damage mechanism of Helveticin-M against target bacteria.
  • To investigate the effects of Helveticin-M on cell wall and membrane integrity.
  • To determine if Helveticin-M exhibits bactericidal or bacteriostatic activity.

Main Methods:

  • Helveticin-M cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli.
  • Morphological analysis of bacterial cells.
  • Assays for cell membrane integrity (ATP leakage, membrane potential depolarization).
  • Cell population analysis to assess cytosolic enzyme influence.

Main Results:

  • Helveticin-M disrupted the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria and disorganized the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria.
  • Inner membrane disruption was confirmed by ATP leakage and membrane potential changes.
  • Increased cell membrane permeability was observed, but cytosolic enzymes remained unaffected.
  • Helveticin-M induced sublethal injury, indicating a bacteriostatic rather than bactericidal effect.

Conclusions:

  • Helveticin-M exerts its antimicrobial effect through disruption of bacterial cell wall and membrane structures.
  • The mechanism of action involves sublethal injury, leading to bacteriostatic activity.
  • Helveticin-M demonstrates potential as a bacteriostatic agent targeting a range of bacterial species.
Keywords:
BacteriocinCytoplasmic membraneHelveticin-MLactobacillus crispatusSublethal damage

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