A Bacteriocin Produced by Pediococcus Species Associated with a 5.5-Megadalton Plasmid

Agarose gel electrophoresis of plasmid DNA and plasmid-curing experiments suggested that bacteriocin activity was harbored on a plasmid of approximately 5.5 megadaltons (Mdal) in Pediococcus acidilactici PO2, B5627 and PC, and Pediococcus pentosaceus MC-03. Bacteria that were sensitive to the bacteriocin included other pediococci, Leuconostoc mesenteroides , Streptococcus faecalis and Listeria monocytogenes . Three of the five serotypes of L. monocytogenes examined were inhibited by a variant lacking the 5.5 Mdal plasmid; however, when the plasmid was present, zones of inhibition doubled in size.