Bac 32, a novel bacteriocin widely disseminated among clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium.

ABSTRACT: A total of 636 vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) isolates that had been obtained between 1994 and 1999 from the Medical School Hospital of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, were tested for bacteriocin production. Two hundred seventy-seven (44%) of the strains were bacteriocinogenic; and 193 of these exhibited activity against Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus hirae, and Enterococcus durans. Strain VRE200 harbors the highly efficient conjugative gentamicin resistance plasmid pG200 (70 kb) and bacteriocin plasmid pTI1 (12.5 kb). The bacteriocin encoded on pTI1 was designated bacteriocin 32 (Bac 32). Bacteriocin 32 was active against E. faecium, E. hirae, and E. durans but showed no activity against Listeria monocytogenes. The Bac 32 genetic locus consists of a bacteriocin

SUBMITTER: Inoue T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1426941 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature