This study evaluated the antibacterial effect of the combination of ε-polylysine (e-PL) and nisin against Enterococcus faecalis strains. The combination of ε-PL and nisin showed synergistic antibacterial activity against three Enterococcus strains. Scanning electron microscopy and a membrane permeability assay revealed that the combined treatment with ε-PL and nisin synergistically damaged the cell morphology of E. faecalis strain R612Z1 cells. Both ε-PL and nisin can dissipate the transmembrane electric potential of E. faecalis R612Z1 cells, but these peptides did not affect the transmembrane pH gradient. The combination of ε-PL and nisin can produce a high reactive oxygen species level in E. faecalis R612Z1 cells. The results indicated that the uptake of ε-PL into cells was promoted through nisin and that the combination of ε-PL and nisin could produce a high reactive oxygen species level in E. faecalis R612Z1 cells, leading to cell growth inhibition.
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Liu, F., Liu, M., Du, L., Wang, D., Geng, Z., Zhang, M., … Xu, W. (2015). Synergistic antibacterial effect of the combination of e-polylysine and nisin against enterococcus faecalis. Journal of Food Protection, 78(12), 2200–2206. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-15-220