Colicin V can be produced by lactic acid bacteria

Colicin V is a small, proteinaceous bacterial toxin, produced by many strains of Escherichia coli and other members of the Enterobacteriaceae, that fits the definition of class II bacteriocins of Gram-positive bacteria. Export of colicin V is dependent on specific ABC (ATP-binding cassette) secretion proteins which recognize a double-glycine-type leader peptide on the immature colicin V bacteriocin. Replacement of the colicin V leader peptide by a signal peptide from the signal sequence-dependent bacteriocin divergicin A allowed expression of colicin V in lactic acid bacteria. This system may serve as a model for the heterologous expression of other small bacteriocins active against Gram-negative bacteria and other antibacterial peptides from lactic acid bacteria.