Fifty-five strains of enterococci isolated from the piglet intestine were characterized in vitro for probiotic activity. Identification of the isolates revealed Enterococcus faecium as the predominant species (84 %). Forty strains (73 %) were found to produce bacteriocin-like substances (only into solid media) with activity almost only toward Gram-positive genera. Thirty-eight % of strains were resistant to tetracycline, 27 % to chloramphenicol, 18 % to erythromycin and 16 % to vancomycin. In addition to control of strain safety, 6 % of isolates were beta-hemolytic and 16 % produced gelatinase. Seven strains selected for further probiotic assays exhibited sufficient survival rate at pH 3.0 after 3 h, in the presence of 1 % ox-bile and lysozyme after 1 d (over 107 CFU/mL in all tests). The adhesion of tested strains to porcine and human intestinal mucus was found in a similar range (1.4-14.0 % and 1.4-17.6 %, respectively). In accordance with current research effort to use and/or to combine various health promoting substances, the sensitivity of all isolates toward plant extracts and toward bacteriocins produced by animal and environmental strains was determined. All enterococci were sensitive toward oregano and sage extracts and toward one (E. faecium EF55--chicken isolate, activity of 25 600 AU/mL) of ten bacteriocin substances. It means that a similar anti-enterococcal potential of some bacteriocin substances may be observed as for certain plant extracts.

• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology   MeSH
• Antibiosis MeSH
• Bacterial Adhesion MeSH
• Drug Resistance, Bacterial MeSH
• Bacteriocins biosynthesis   pharmacology   MeSH
• Origanum chemistry   MeSH
• Enterococcus classification   drug effects   isolation & purification   physiology   MeSH
• Gastrointestinal Tract microbiology   MeSH
• Acids toxicity   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
• Microbial Viability MeSH
• Mucins metabolism   MeSH
• Muramidase metabolism   MeSH
• Swine microbiology   MeSH
• Probiotics pharmacology   MeSH
• Plant Extracts pharmacology   MeSH
• Bile Acids and Salts toxicity   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH
• Bacteriocins MeSH
• Acids MeSH
• Mucins MeSH
• Muramidase MeSH
• Plant Extracts MeSH
• Bile Acids and Salts MeSH

The occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus in rabbit feces, cecum and meat and its enterotoxin production, susceptibility to antibiotics and its sensitivity or resistance to bacteriocins produced by enterococci with probiotic properties were determined. Isolates were resistant to ampicillin, penicillin, phosphomycin and methicillin; a high percentage of susceptibility was also recorded to vancomycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline and tobramycin. S. aureus isolates did not produce enterotoxins and were sensitive to partially purified enterocins (PPB) EK13, AL41 and EF2019 in the range of 100 to 12800 AU/mL; all S. aureus isolates, except the strain SA 2A/3, exhibited the highest sensitivity to PPB EK13. On the other hand, all strains were resistant to PPB CCM4231.

• MeSH
• Bacteriocins metabolism   MeSH
• Cecum microbiology   MeSH
• Feces microbiology   MeSH
• Animals, Domestic microbiology   MeSH
• Rabbits MeSH
• Meat microbiology   MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
• Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial * MeSH
• Bridged-Ring Compounds metabolism   MeSH
• Methicillin Resistance * MeSH
• Staphylococcus aureus drug effects   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Rabbits MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Slovakia MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Bacteriocins MeSH
• enterocin MeSH Browser
• Bridged-Ring Compounds MeSH

Concentrated extracts of MRS (De Man-Rogosa-Sharpe) media in which probiotic bacterium Enterococcus faecium strain M-74 was grown exerted different antimutagenic activity against ofloxacin-, N-methyl, N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine- and sodium 5-nitro-2-furylacrylate-induced mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium assay depending on the presence (+Se) or absence of disodium selenite pentahydrate (-Se). The antimutagenicity of MRS(+Se) extract was higher than that of MRS(-Se) extract. Selenium enhanced also the antimutagenic effect of both live and killed cells of E. faecium M-74, respectively. The live bacteria decreased the mutagenicity of selected substances more than killed cells. Synergic activity of selenium with the bacterium was also manifested.

• MeSH
• Antimutagenic Agents pharmacology   MeSH
• Enterococcus faecium metabolism   physiology   MeSH
• Mutagenesis drug effects   MeSH
• Mutagens toxicity   MeSH
• Probiotics pharmacology   MeSH
• Salmonella typhimurium drug effects   genetics   MeSH
• Selenium pharmacology   MeSH
• Drug Synergism MeSH
• Mutagenicity Tests MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Antimutagenic Agents MeSH
• Mutagens MeSH
• Selenium MeSH

Nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of diversity among bacteriocins produced by strains of Bacillus sphaericus. Bacteriocin bands of six strains (pathogenic and non pathogenic) were found to be located just below the stacking gel. However, in two other strains (1 pathogenic and 1 collection strain) more than one protein band with bacteriocin activity were seen in the middle of resolving gel. In bacteriocin-treated cultures, electron-microscopy studies revealed the growth of lysedswollen ghost cells, and loss of viability among sensitive strains.

• MeSH
• Bacillus drug effects   metabolism   pathogenicity   MeSH
• Bacteriocins chemistry   metabolism   pharmacology   MeSH
• Culicidae microbiology   MeSH
• Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel MeSH
• Microscopy, Electron MeSH
• Larva microbiology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Bacteriocins MeSH

The genetic basis of the fungicidal activity of strains of Lactobacillus brevis and L. fermentum isolated from indigenous fermented foods was determined. A 5.5-kb plasmid was isolated from L. brevis while L. Fermentum was found to harbor no plasmid. Plasmid curing indicated no correlation between the plasmid and the fungicidal activity of the Lactobacillus species. The fungicidal activity of the isolated organisms can be supposed to be mediated by the chromosome. No antibiotic resistance genetic markers were detected on the plasmid and hence it was classified as cryptic.

• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology   MeSH
• Antifungal Agents metabolism   MeSH
• Chromosomes, Bacterial * MeSH
• Drug Resistance, Bacterial MeSH
• Fabaceae microbiology   MeSH
• Fermentation MeSH
• Lactobacillus classification   drug effects   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
• Plasmids genetics   MeSH
• Food Microbiology MeSH
• Cheese microbiology   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH
• Antifungal Agents MeSH

A strain of Enterococcus faecium isolated from Bulgarian yellow cheese "kashkaval" produced a bacteriocin-like substance named enterococcin A 2000. The antibacterial substance had a low molar mass (< 2 kDa), was relatively stable toward heat but was sensitive to selected proteolytic enzymes. It was active against Gram-positive bacteria including enterococci, such as Listeria, Bacillus and Streptococcus, and also against Gram-negative E. coli. Production of enterococcin A 2000 has a maximum near the end of the exponential phase of producer growth. The peptide was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, butanol extraction, followed by cation-exchange chromatography and reversed-phase chromatography. A partial sequence of purified enterococcin A 2000 indicated that this substance does not belong to the class IIa of bacteriocins presenting the consensus anti-Listeria motif YGNGV.

• MeSH
• Amino Acids analysis   MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents chemistry   isolation & purification   pharmacology   MeSH
• RNA, Bacterial genetics   MeSH
• Bacteriocins chemistry   genetics   isolation & purification   pharmacology   MeSH
• DNA, Bacterial genetics   MeSH
• Enterococcus faecium chemistry   genetics   MeSH
• Escherichia coli drug effects   MeSH
• Listeria drug effects   MeSH
• Molecular Weight MeSH
• Polymerase Chain Reaction MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 16S genetics   MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 23S genetics   MeSH
• Amino Acid Sequence MeSH
• Base Sequence MeSH
• Cheese microbiology   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Amino Acids MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH
• RNA, Bacterial MeSH
• Bacteriocins MeSH
• DNA, Bacterial MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 16S MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 23S MeSH

The production of a novel broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide enterococcin A 2000, active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms including Listeria subsp. and Escherichia coli, by Enterococcus faecium strain A 2000 isolated from the surface of traditional Bulgarian yellow cheese "kash-kaval" is considerably influenced by complex nitrogen sources in the production medium. Medium components, especially peptone and yeast extract, and their concentration contributed to the increase in bacteriocin production during the stationary phase (16-46 h) of cultivation even in the absence of one of the components present in the basal cultivation MRS medium.

• MeSH
• Bacteriocins biosynthesis   metabolism   pharmacology   MeSH
• Nitrogen metabolism   MeSH
• Enterococcus faecium metabolism   MeSH
• Escherichia coli metabolism   MeSH
• Yeasts metabolism   MeSH
• Listeria metabolism   MeSH
• Peptones metabolism   MeSH
• Cheese MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Bacteriocins MeSH
• Nitrogen MeSH
• Peptones MeSH

Two DNA-based techniques were used for species identification of enterococci. PvuII digestion of the genus-specific PCR product yielded four different restriction profiles among 20 enterococcal species; one of them was species-specific for E. faecium. In the second case, 32 reference strains belonging to 20 enterococcal species were divided to 12 groups by amplification of internal transcribed spacer of rRNA operon. Interspecies and some intraspecies profile variability was determined. Both methods gave similar results.

• MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Enterococcus classification   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• DNA, Intergenic chemistry   genetics   MeSH
• Polymerase Chain Reaction methods   MeSH
• DNA, Protozoan chemistry   genetics   MeSH
• Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• CAGCTG-specific type II deoxyribonucleases MeSH Browser
• DNA, Intergenic MeSH
• DNA, Protozoan MeSH
• Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific MeSH

Bacteriocins produced by ruminal as well as environmental isolates were found to be heat-stable antimicrobial substances with a broad inhibitory spectrum (including Gram-negative species and sanitary-important species). The exponential phase of growth and pH 4-7 were optimal for their production. After purification, some of them were sequenced and specified.

• MeSH
• Rumen microbiology   MeSH
• Bacteria drug effects   MeSH
• Bacteriocins biosynthesis   pharmacology   MeSH
• Enterococcus growth & development   isolation & purification   metabolism   MeSH
• Feces microbiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Listeria monocytogenes drug effects   MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests methods   MeSH
• Cattle MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Cattle MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Bacteriocins MeSH

The bacteriocin production by Enterococcus faecium strain in cheese milk and cheese was demonstrated. Purified enterocin CCM 4231 exhibited an anti-listerial effect during Saint-Paulin cheese manufacture. During cheese production the strain grew to a final concentration of 10.1 +/- 0.01 log CFU per mL per g in cheese. Then only a slight decrease of the cell concentration was noticed during ripening and was almost stable for 8 weeks. No significant differences in pH were observed between the experimental and reference cheeses. Bacteriocin production during cheese manufacture was detected only in milk samples and curd, reaching a level of 100 AU/mL. After addition of purified enterocin CCM 4231 (concentration 3200 AU/mL) into the experimental cheese, the initial concentration of 6.7 +/- 0.06 log CFU per mL of Listeria monocytogenes Ohio was reduced up to 1.9 +/- 0.01 log CFU per mL per g. After 6 weeks and at the end of the experiment the difference of surviving cells of L. monocytogenes Ohio in ECH was only one or 0.7 log cycle compared to the control cheese. Although enterocin CCM 4231 partially inhibited L. monocytogenes in Saint-Paulin cheese manufacture, an inhibitory effect of enterocin added was shown in 1-week cheese; however, it was not possible to detect bacteriocin activity by the agar spot test. The traditional fermentation and ripening process was not disturbed, resulting in acceptable end-products, including sensory aspects.

• MeSH
• Bacteriocins biosynthesis   pharmacology   MeSH
• Enterococcus metabolism   MeSH
• Listeria monocytogenes drug effects   MeSH
• Cheese microbiology   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Bacteriocins MeSH