10
D. E. MAHONY
1971). Proteolytic strains of types A, B and F were resistant to boticin
action. The boticin adsorbed only to sensitive organisms and acted only
on growing cells ; oxygenation of the culture prevented lysis by bacteriocin.
The fact that protoplasts and L-forms of C. botulinum had the same
susceptibility pattern as the parent suggested that cell wall receptor sites
were not critical for bacteriocin action. The bacteriocin action on sensitive
spores would seem to result from inhibition of germination rather than of
outgrowth.
In contrast to the host range described above, Ueda and Takagi (1972)
found that high molecular weight, sedimentable bacteriocins induced from
proteolytic type B strains were active against vegetative cells and germination of spores of proteolytic C. botulinum strains.
Lau et al. (1974) described another bacteriocin of a non-toxigenic type E
strain which resembled a phage tail. This boticin “P” could be purified by
ammonium sulphate precipitation, Sephadex gel filtration and ultracentrifugation. The bacteriocin exerted a static effect on vegetative growth and
outgrowth of spores, but did not inhibit the initial events of germination.
Only C. botulinum types B and E were susceptible to this bacteriocin although only a limited number of strains of types A, B, C, D, E and F were
tested.
The last work to be cited refers to one of the original reports on bacteriocins of C. botulinum made by Beerens and Tahon (1967) in Moscow in
1966. Twelve strains of C. botulinum (types A, B and C) and 29 strains of
C. sporogenes were examined. The observations were as follows: 10/12
strains of C. botulinum produced substances active against certain other
strains of C. botulinum; 11/12 strains were sensitive to one or more strains
different from themselves. No correlation was found between the sensitivity
of a strain and its toxigenic type nor was there any correlation between
bacteriocin production and toxigenicity. When the results presented by
Beerens and Tahon are examined for bacteriocin typing, amongst the 12
strains tested, 11 different bacteriocin typing patterns are observed.
Bacteriocin typing of C. botulinum might indeed be feasible.
C. Other bacteriocins
Schallehn (1975) found that two of 17 strains of Clostridium septicum
were bacteriocinogenic. One bacteriocin was studied and found to be
spontaneously produced during the logarithmic growth phase of the
bacterium. This bacteriocin was sensitive to heat and proteolytic enzymes,
resistant to chloroform and not inducible by Mitomycin C. The molecular
weight was determined to be 20,000 by Sephadex filtration. I n 1976,
Schallehn and Kramer examined the mode of action of the bacteriocin and
found a total cessation of RNA and protein synthesis followed by a cessa-
D. E. MAHONY
1971). Proteolytic strains of types A, B and F were resistant to boticin
action. The boticin adsorbed only to sensitive organisms and acted only
on growing cells ; oxygenation of the culture prevented lysis by bacteriocin.
The fact that protoplasts and L-forms of C. botulinum had the same
susceptibility pattern as the parent suggested that cell wall receptor sites
were not critical for bacteriocin action. The bacteriocin action on sensitive
spores would seem to result from inhibition of germination rather than of
outgrowth.
In contrast to the host range described above, Ueda and Takagi (1972)
found that high molecular weight, sedimentable bacteriocins induced from
proteolytic type B strains were active against vegetative cells and germination of spores of proteolytic C. botulinum strains.
Lau et al. (1974) described another bacteriocin of a non-toxigenic type E
strain which resembled a phage tail. This boticin “P” could be purified by
ammonium sulphate precipitation, Sephadex gel filtration and ultracentrifugation. The bacteriocin exerted a static effect on vegetative growth and
outgrowth of spores, but did not inhibit the initial events of germination.
Only C. botulinum types B and E were susceptible to this bacteriocin although only a limited number of strains of types A, B, C, D, E and F were
tested.
The last work to be cited refers to one of the original reports on bacteriocins of C. botulinum made by Beerens and Tahon (1967) in Moscow in
1966. Twelve strains of C. botulinum (types A, B and C) and 29 strains of
C. sporogenes were examined. The observations were as follows: 10/12
strains of C. botulinum produced substances active against certain other
strains of C. botulinum; 11/12 strains were sensitive to one or more strains
different from themselves. No correlation was found between the sensitivity
of a strain and its toxigenic type nor was there any correlation between
bacteriocin production and toxigenicity. When the results presented by
Beerens and Tahon are examined for bacteriocin typing, amongst the 12
strains tested, 11 different bacteriocin typing patterns are observed.
Bacteriocin typing of C. botulinum might indeed be feasible.
C. Other bacteriocins
Schallehn (1975) found that two of 17 strains of Clostridium septicum
were bacteriocinogenic. One bacteriocin was studied and found to be
spontaneously produced during the logarithmic growth phase of the
bacterium. This bacteriocin was sensitive to heat and proteolytic enzymes,
resistant to chloroform and not inducible by Mitomycin C. The molecular
weight was determined to be 20,000 by Sephadex filtration. I n 1976,
Schallehn and Kramer examined the mode of action of the bacteriocin and
found a total cessation of RNA and protein synthesis followed by a cessa-