Bacteriocins: Natural weapons for control of food pathogens

Abstract

Research on antimicrobial peptides is continuously growing because of the possibilities of applications they offer in different domains including food safety, human medicine, and plant biocontrol (phytosanitary). The present chapter is aiming to shed lights on diversity, function and structure of ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides from Gram positive bacteria usually referred to as bacteriocins. In bacterial systems, competition is often driven by the production of bacteriocins; narrow spectrum proteinaceous toxins that serve to kill closely related species providing the producer better access to limited resources. Despite high levels of bacteriocin diversity, these proteins share many general characteristics. They are generally high molecular weight protein antibiotics that kill closely related strains or species. The bacteriocin gains entry into the target cell by recognizing specific cell surface receptors and then kills the cell by forming ion-permeable channels in the cytoplasmic membrane, by nonspecific degradation of cellular DNA, by inhibition of protein synthesis through the specific cleavage of 16s rRNA, or by cell lysis. In this chapter, the limits and performances of production will be presented. Further clear evidences on their aptitudes to master growth of microbes will be discussed as well as the main achievements and perspectives of their applications in food, environment and medical domains.