The expanding structural variety among bacteriocins from Gram-positive bacteria

Bacteria use various strategies to compete in an ecological niche, including the production of bacteriocins. Bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesized antibacterial peptides, and it has been postulated that the majority of Gram-positive bacteria produce one or more of these natural products. Bacteriocins can be used in food preservation and are also considered as potential alternatives to antibiotics. The majority of bacteriocins from Gram-positive bacteria had been traditionally divided into two major classes, namely lantibiotics, which are post-translationally modified bacteriocins, and unmodified bacteriocins. The last decade has seen an expanding number of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) in Gram-positive bacteria that have antibacterial activity. These include linear azol(in)e-containing peptides, thiopeptides, bottromycins, glycocins, lasso peptides and lipolanthines. In addition, the three-dimensional (3D) structures of a number of modified and unmodified bacteriocins have been elucidated in recent years. This review gives an overview on the structural variety of bacteriocins from Gram-positive bacteria. It will focus on the chemical and 3D structures of these peptides, and their interactions with receptors and membranes, structure-function relationships and possible modes of action.