This Article Full Text (PDF) Other Versions of this Article: JB.00474-07v1 189/21/7741    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lux, T. Articles by Reichmann, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lux, T. Articles by Reichmann, P.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J. Bacteriol. doi:10.1128/JB.00474-07
Copyright (c) 2007, American Society for Microbiology and/or the Listed Authors/Institutions. All Rights Reserved.

Diversity of bacteriocins and activity spectrum in Streptococcus pneumoniae

Department of Microbiology, University of Kaiserslautern, Paul Ehrlich Str. 23, D-67663 Kaiserslautern; Nano+Bio Center, University of Kaiserslautern, Postfach 3049, D-67653 Kaiserslautern

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: reichman{at}rhrk.uni-kl.de.

	Abstract

The production of bacteriocins can be favourable for colonization of the host by eliminating other bacterial species that share the same environment. In Streptococcus pneumoniae, the pnc (blp) locus encoding putative bacteriocins, immunity and export proteins is controlled by a two component system similar to the comCDE system required for the induction of genetic competence. A detailed comparison of the pnc clusters of four genetically distinct isolates confirmed a high plasticity of this locus and documented several repeat sequences. Members of the multiple antibiotic resistant Spain^23F–1 clone, one member of the Spain^9V–3 clone, a sensitive 23F strain 2306 and the TIGR4 strain produced bacteriocidal substances active against other Gram positive bacteria and in some cases against S. pneumoniae as well. However, other strains did not show activity against the indicator strains despite the presence of a bacteriocin cluster, indicating that other factors are required for bacteriocin activity. Analysis of strain 2306 and mutant derivatives confirmed that bacteriocin production was dependent on the two component regulatory system, and genes involved in bacteriocin transport and processing. At least one other bacteriocin gene, pncE is located elsewhere on the chromosome and might contribute to the bacteriocin activity of this strain.