Further characterization of bacteriocins Plantaricin BN, bavaricin MN and pediocin A

We report here several characteristics of bacteriocins which are inhibitory to Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes. Plantaricin BN produced by Lactobacillus plantarum BN, bavaricin MN produced by Lactobacillus bavaricus MN, and pediocin A produced by Pediococcus pentosaceus 43200 all demonstrated a bactericidal mode of action and retained some activity after heating at 60°C for ten minutes or 100°C for 5 minutes. pH and temperature optima for production on solid media were pH 7.9 and 15°C for plantaricin BN, pH 6.5 and 30°C for bavaricin MN, and pH 6.15–7.9 and 30°C for pediocin A. The molecular weight of plantaricin BN appeared greater than 10,000, that of bavaricin MN 22,600, and that of pediocin A 11,000. All of these bacteriocins were produced during the growth phase of the bacterial cultures.