Purification and amino acid sequence of a bacteriocins produced by Lactobacillus salivarius K7 isolated from chicken intestine

A bacteriocin-producing strain, Lactobacillus K7, was isolated from a chicken intestine. The inhibitory activity was determined by spot-on-lawn technique. Identification of the strain was performed by morphological, biochemical (API 50 CH kit) and molecular genetic (16S rDNA) basis. Bacteriocin purification processes were carried out by amberlite adsorption, cation exchange and reverse-phase high perform ance liquid chromatography. N-terminal amino acid sequences were performed by Edman degradation. Molecular mass was determined by electrospray-ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS). Lactobacillus K7 showed inhibitory activity against Lactobacillus sakei subsp. sakei JCM 1157^T, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides JCM 6124^T and Bacillus coagulons JCM 2257^T. This strain was identified as Lb. salivarius. The antimicrobial substance was destroyed by proteolytic enzymes, indicating its proteinaceous structure designated as a bacteriocin type. The purification of bacteriocin by amberlite adsorption, cation exchange, and reverse-phase chromatography resulted in only one single active peak, which was designated FK22. Molecular weight of this fraction was 4331.70 Da. By amino acid sequence, this peptide was homology to Abp 118 beta produced by Lb. salivarius UCC118. In addition, Lb. salivarius UCC118 produced 2-peptide bacteriocin, which was Abp 118 alpha and beta. Based on the partial amino acid sequences of Abp 118 beta, specific primers were designed from nucleotide sequences according to data from GenBank. The result showed that the deduced peptide was high homology to 2-peptide bacteriocin, Abp 118 alpha and beta.