Review Article

Bacteriocins: Potential for Human Health

Table 1

Antimicrobial effects of bacteriocins.

Bacteriocins -classificationProducing bacteriaTarget organismMode of actionModelSecurity

Nisin lanthipeptide [17, 103105]L. lactisS. aureus, C. difficileLipid II binding and pore formationIn vitro, mice and rats (intraperitoneal injection and nasal administration)FDA approved and generally regarded as safe
NAI-107 lanthipeptide [106, 107]Microbispora sp.S. aureusInhibits the synthesis of peptidoglycanIn vitro and mice (intravenous and subcutaneous administration)Low acute toxicity
Mutacin B-Ny266 lanthipeptide [108, 109]S. mutansS. aureus, Neisseria HelicobacterUnknownIn vitro and mice (intraperitoneal injection)Not evaluated
OG716 lanthipeptide [110]S. mutans JH1140C. difficileBinding the pyrophosphate moiety of lipid-IIIn vitro and hamsterLow toxicity
Mersacidin lanthipeptide [22, 111113]Bacillus sp. HIL-Y85/54728MRSAInhibits bacterial cell wall biosynthesis by complexing lipid IIIn vitro and mice (nasal administration and subcutaneously administered)Not evaluated
Actagardine A lanthipeptide [114]A. garbadinensis ATCC 31049C. difficile, VRE MRSAInhibits cell wall biosynthesis by binding to lipid II and blocking transglycosylationIn vitroNot evaluated
NVB302 lanthipeptide [115, 116]Derivative of deoxyactagardine B from A. liguriaeC. difficileBinding to lipid IIIn vitro and hamsters (oral gavage) and ex vivo gut modelNontoxic
NVB333 lanthipeptide [117]S.aureusIn vitro and mice (i.v. injection)No signs of any drug-related adverse effects
Lacticin 3147 lanthipeptide [118]L. lactis DPC3147C. difficile, L. monocytogenesBinding to lipid II and lyticIn vitroNot evaluated
Lassomycin class I-lasso peptide [119]Lentzea kentuckyensisM. tuberculosisTarget the ATP-dependent proteaseIn vitroNot evaluated
Microcin J25 lasso peptide [26, 80, 120, 121]E. coliSalmonella, E. coliInhibiting RNA polymerase and increasing superoxide productionIn vitro and miceNo cytotoxicity
Enterocin AS-48 head-to-tail cyclized peptides [122125]E. faecalisM. tuberculosisAccumulating a positive charge on the membrane surface and disrupts the membrane potentialIn vitro and macrophagesNo cytotoxicity
Thiostrepton thiopeptide [126, 127]Streptomyces sp.M. abscessusBinding to a site on 23S rRNA and inhibits elongation factor-dependent reactionsIn vitro, zebrafish and macrophagesUS FDA-approved drug
Durancin 61A glycosylated bacteriocin [128, 129]E. durans 61AC. difficile, VRE, MRSA, L. innocuaTargeting the bacterial membraneIn vitroNot hemolytic
Thuricin CD sactipeptide [87, 130, 131]B. thuringiensis DPC 6431C. difficile, L. monocytogenesPermeabilize and depolarize the membraneIn vitro and miceNot evaluated
Ruminococcin C sactipeptide [132, 133]R. gnavus E1Pathogenic clostridia and MDR strainsInhibiting nucleic acid synthesis in a metronidazole-like mannerIn vitroNot toxic to eukaryotic cells
Gassericin E head-to-tail cyclized peptides [30]L. gasseri EV1461Multiple pathogens associated with bacterial vaginosisUnknowIn vitroNot evaluated
Microcin H47 [134]E. coli Nissle 1917E. coliTargeting the F0 proton channel of ATP synthaseIn vitroNot evaluated
Microcin E492 [135]K. pneumoniae RYC492K. Enterobacter E. coli Salmonella sp.Permeabilize the inner membrane with the mannose permeaseIn vitroInduces apoptosis in some human cell lines
Microcin M [136]E. coli Nissle 1917E. coli Salmonella sp.Compete against other enterobacteria that utilize catecholate siderophoresIn vitroNot evaluated
Lactocin 160 [137, 138]L. RhamnosusG. Vaginalis
Bacillus pertussis
Causing the efflux of ATP molecules and dissipative the proton motive forceIn epivaginalMinimal irritation
Enterocin CRL35 class IIa [25, 139]E. mundtiiL. monocytogenesForming holes in the cell wall and cell membraneIn vitro and mice (orally administrated)Not evaluated
Lactocin AL705 class IIa [140, 141]L. curvatusL. monocytogenesDisrupting quorum sensing through a signal molecule inactivationIn vitroNot evaluated
Pediocin PA-1 class IIa [24, 142, 143]P. acidilacticiL. monocytogenesForms hydrophilic pores in the cytoplasmic membraneIn intra-gastric administrationCommercial applications with no adverse effect
Laterosporulin10
class IId [21]
B. laterosporus SKDU10S. aureus, M. smegmatisMembrane permeabilizationIn vitro and macrophagesNo hemolytic activity
Subtilosin class II [29, 144, 145]B. subtilisG. vaginali, L. monocytogenes, S. agalactiaeBinding to lipid bilayers, results in membrane permeabilizationIn epivaginalHuman cells remained viable after prolonged exposures to subtilosin
Colicin Z class III [27]E. coli B1356E. coli ShigellaVia cjrc receptor recognition and cjrb- and exbb- and exbd-mediated colicin translocationIn vitroNot evaluated
Colicin F Y class III [28, 146]E. coliY. enterocoliticaYiur-mediated reception, tonb import, and cell membrane pore formationIn miceNot evaluated
Diffocin class III [102, 147]C. difficile CD4C. difficileDissipating the membrane potentialIn vitro and miceNot evaluated
ESL5 [148]E. faecalis SL-5P. acnesUnknownIn vitro and humanNot evaluated
Bacteriocin OR-7 [149]L. salivarius NRRL B-30514C. jejuniUnknownIn chickenNot evaluated
Bacteriocin E 50-52 class IIa [150]E. faecium NRRL B-30746S. enteritidisUnknownIn chickenNot evaluated
Subtilosin class II [37]B. subtilisHSV-1 and HSV-2Inhibiting virus multiplicationIn vitroHuman cells remained viable after prolonged exposures to subtilosin
Labyrinthopeptin A1 lanthipeptide [40, 41, 151]A. namibiensis DSM 6313HSV, HIV, zika virus, and dengue virusActing as an entry inhibitor possibly by targeting the HSV glycoproteinsIn vitroDoes not harm the vaginal epithelium or the normal vaginal lactic acid flora
Enterocin CRL35 class IIa [38, 39]E. mundtiiHSV-1 and HSV-2Affecting a late step of virus multiplicationIn vitroLow cytotoxicity for eukaryotic cells
Mundticin ST4SA class IIa [42]E. mundtii ST4VHSV-1, HSV-2, poliovirus and measles virusUnknownIn vitroNot evaluated
Enterocin AS-48 class I-head-to-tail cyclized peptides [48, 125, 152]E. faecalisTrypanosoma cruziMitochondrial membrane depolarization and reactive oxygen species productionIn vitro and miceNo cytotoxicity
Addlp class II [49]A. dehalogenansPlasmodium falciparumUnknownIn vitroNontoxic to mammalian cells