SURVEY OF THE BACTERIOCINES OF ENTEROCOCCI

Abstract

Brock, Thomas D. (Indiana University, Bloomington), Barbara Peacher, and Deborah Pierson . A survey of the bacteriocines of enterococci. J. Bacteriol. 86: 702–707. 1963.—A survey has been made of bacteriocine production by a wide variety of well-characterized strains of group D streptococci. On the basis of spectrums and sensitivity to chloroform, heat, and proteolytic enzymes, five distinct bacteriocines can be defined. Type 1 is produced by all Streptococcus zymogenes ( S. faecalis var. zymogenes ) strains, is active against a wide variety of gram-positive bacteria, and is also a hemolysin. Type 2 is produced by some S. liquefaciens ( S. faecalis var. liquefaciens ) strains, and acts on many enterococci as well as on certain other lactic acid bacteria. Type 3 is produced by certain strains of both S. faecalis and S. faecium , and inhibits a wide variety of group D streptococci, but is inactive against all other lactic acid bacteria tested except Leuconostoc citrovorum . Type 4 is produced by certain S. faecium strains and resembles in certain ways the type 3 activity, but differs from it in other ways. Type 5 has been found to be produced by only one proteolytic strain of S. zymogenes , and this bacteriocine has a very narrow spectrum. The strain that produces this bacteriocine also produces type 1 activity. No strain is sensitive to a bacteriocine of the type it produces.