cursors is activated by the extracellular protease NisP, which is hooked to the
cell membrane by means of a fatty acyl membrane anchor. Processing of Nterminally modified lantibiotics (Pep5, epilancin K7, lactocin S) occurs in the
cytoplasm, prior to N-terminal modification. This latter modification is a spontaneous reaction, except; for the enzymatic reduction of epilancin K7, which
would hence be the last step in the modification of this lantibiotic and secretion. The contribution of the leader peptide in this sec-independent process is
not known, nor is its fate after processing or the polarity of the export process.
Secretion results in the release of a bioactive bacteriocin.
While class II non-lantibiotic bacteriocins appear to be secreted by the secindependent universal ABC transporter system, it has recently been shown that
some bacteriocins do not possess a double-glycine leader peptide but are,
instead, synthesized with a typical N-terminal leader peptide of the sec-type. So
far four such sec-dependent bacteriocins have been reported divergicin A [51],
acidocin B (50], bacteriocin 31 [208] and enterocin P [209]. Recently, two
bacteriocins, enterocin L5OA and L5OB, were found to be secreted without an
N-terminal leader sequence or signal peptide [210].
References
1. De Vuyst L, Vandamme EJ (eds) (1994) Bacteriocins of Lactic Acid Bacteria:
Microbiology, Genetics and Applications. Blackie Academic & Professional, London
2. Rose AH (1982) Fermented Foods. Academic Press, New York
3. Reed G (1983) Food and Feed Production with Microorganisms. Verlag Chemie,
Deerfield Beach, Florida
4. Steinkraus KH (1983) Handbook of Indigenous Fermented Foods. Marcel Dekker, New
York
5. Wood BJB (1985) Microbiology of Fermented Foods. Elsevier, London
6. Gilliland SE (1986a) Bacterial Starter Cultures for Foods. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida
7. Buckenhüskes HJ (1993) Selection criteria for lactic acid bacteria to be used as starter
cultures for various food commodities. FEMS Microbiol Rev 12 : 253–271
8. Gilliland SE (1986b) Role of starter culture bacteria in food preservation. In: Gilliland SE
(ed) Bacterial Starter Cultures for Foods. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, pp 175–185
9. Lindgren SE, Dobrogosz WJ (1990) Antagonistic activities of lactic acid bacteria in food
and feed fermentations. FEMS Microbiol Rev 12 : 207–220
10. Schillinger U (1990) Bacteriocins of lactic acid bacteria. In: Bills DD, Kung SD (eds)
Biotechnology and Food Safety. Burrerworth-Heinemann, Boston, pp 55–74
11. Vandenbergh PA (1993) Lactic acid bacteria, their metabolic products and interference
with microbial growth. FEMS Microbiol Rev 12 : 221–237
12. Lloyd AG, Drake JJP (1975) Problems posed by essential food preservatives. Br Med bull.
31: 214–219
13. Lewus CB, Kaiser A, Montville TJ (1991) Inhibition of food-borne bacterial pathogens by
bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria isolated from meat. Appl Environ Microbiol
57 :1683–1688
14. Marteau P, Rambeaud J-C (1993) Potential of using lactic acid bacteria for therapy and
immunomodulation in man. FEMS Microbiol Rev 12 : 207–220
15. Gerritse K, Posno M, Schellekens M, Boersma WJA, Claassen E (1990) Oral administration of TNP-Lactobacillus conjugates in mice: a model for evaluation of mucosal and
systemic immune responses and memory formation elicited by transformed lactobacilli.
Res Microbiol 141: 955–962
50
E. Sablon et al.
cell membrane by means of a fatty acyl membrane anchor. Processing of Nterminally modified lantibiotics (Pep5, epilancin K7, lactocin S) occurs in the
cytoplasm, prior to N-terminal modification. This latter modification is a spontaneous reaction, except; for the enzymatic reduction of epilancin K7, which
would hence be the last step in the modification of this lantibiotic and secretion. The contribution of the leader peptide in this sec-independent process is
not known, nor is its fate after processing or the polarity of the export process.
Secretion results in the release of a bioactive bacteriocin.
While class II non-lantibiotic bacteriocins appear to be secreted by the secindependent universal ABC transporter system, it has recently been shown that
some bacteriocins do not possess a double-glycine leader peptide but are,
instead, synthesized with a typical N-terminal leader peptide of the sec-type. So
far four such sec-dependent bacteriocins have been reported divergicin A [51],
acidocin B (50], bacteriocin 31 [208] and enterocin P [209]. Recently, two
bacteriocins, enterocin L5OA and L5OB, were found to be secreted without an
N-terminal leader sequence or signal peptide [210].
References
1. De Vuyst L, Vandamme EJ (eds) (1994) Bacteriocins of Lactic Acid Bacteria:
Microbiology, Genetics and Applications. Blackie Academic & Professional, London
2. Rose AH (1982) Fermented Foods. Academic Press, New York
3. Reed G (1983) Food and Feed Production with Microorganisms. Verlag Chemie,
Deerfield Beach, Florida
4. Steinkraus KH (1983) Handbook of Indigenous Fermented Foods. Marcel Dekker, New
York
5. Wood BJB (1985) Microbiology of Fermented Foods. Elsevier, London
6. Gilliland SE (1986a) Bacterial Starter Cultures for Foods. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida
7. Buckenhüskes HJ (1993) Selection criteria for lactic acid bacteria to be used as starter
cultures for various food commodities. FEMS Microbiol Rev 12 : 253–271
8. Gilliland SE (1986b) Role of starter culture bacteria in food preservation. In: Gilliland SE
(ed) Bacterial Starter Cultures for Foods. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, pp 175–185
9. Lindgren SE, Dobrogosz WJ (1990) Antagonistic activities of lactic acid bacteria in food
and feed fermentations. FEMS Microbiol Rev 12 : 207–220
10. Schillinger U (1990) Bacteriocins of lactic acid bacteria. In: Bills DD, Kung SD (eds)
Biotechnology and Food Safety. Burrerworth-Heinemann, Boston, pp 55–74
11. Vandenbergh PA (1993) Lactic acid bacteria, their metabolic products and interference
with microbial growth. FEMS Microbiol Rev 12 : 221–237
12. Lloyd AG, Drake JJP (1975) Problems posed by essential food preservatives. Br Med bull.
31: 214–219
13. Lewus CB, Kaiser A, Montville TJ (1991) Inhibition of food-borne bacterial pathogens by
bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria isolated from meat. Appl Environ Microbiol
57 :1683–1688
14. Marteau P, Rambeaud J-C (1993) Potential of using lactic acid bacteria for therapy and
immunomodulation in man. FEMS Microbiol Rev 12 : 207–220
15. Gerritse K, Posno M, Schellekens M, Boersma WJA, Claassen E (1990) Oral administration of TNP-Lactobacillus conjugates in mice: a model for evaluation of mucosal and
systemic immune responses and memory formation elicited by transformed lactobacilli.
Res Microbiol 141: 955–962
50
E. Sablon et al.