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Journal of Bacteriology, September 2009, p. 5690-5696, Vol. 191, No. 18
0021-9193/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.00541-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Isolation of a Variant of Subtilosin A with Hemolytic Activity{triangledown}

Tai Huang,1 Hao Geng,1,{dagger} Venugopal R. Miyyapuram,2 Clarissa S. Sit,2 John C. Vederas,2 and Michiko M. Nakano1*

Department of Science & Engineering, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon 97006,1 Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G22

Received 23 April 2009/ Accepted 15 July 2009

Bacillus subtilis produces an anionic bacteriocin called subtilosin A that possesses antibacterial activity against certain gram-positive bacteria. In this study, we uncovered a hemolytic mutant of B. subtilis that produces an altered form of subtilosin A. The mutant bacteriocin, named subtilosin A1, has a replacement of threonine at position 6 with isoleucine. In addition to the hemolytic activity, subtilosin A1 was found to exhibit enhanced antimicrobial activity against specific bacterial strains. The B. subtilis albB mutant that does not produce a putative immunity peptide was more sensitive to both subtilosin A and subtilosin A1. A spontaneous suppressor mutation of albB that restored resistance to subtilosin A and subtilosin A1 was obtained. The sbr (subtilosin resistance) mutation conferring the resistance is not linked to the sboA-alb locus. The sbr mutation does not increase the resistance of B. subtilis to other cell envelope-targeted antimicrobial agents, indicating that the mutation specifically confers the resistance to subtilosins. The findings suggest possible bioengineering approaches for obtaining anionic bacteriocins with enhanced and/or altered bactericidal activity. Furthermore, future identification of the subtilosin-resistant mutation could provide insights into the mechanism of subtilosin A activity.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Science & Engineering, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006. Phone: (503) 748-4078. Fax: (503) 748-1464. E-mail: mnakano{at}ebs.ogi.edu

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 24 July 2009.

{dagger} Present address: Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239.

Journal of Bacteriology, September 2009, p. 5690-5696, Vol. 191, No. 18
0021-9193/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.00541-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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