Characteristics of Bacteriocins by Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Kimchi

Kimchi is a traditional Korean fermented vegetable product, which is fermented by various lactic acid bacteria (LAB) including the genera Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Weissella, and Pediococcus. Until now several bacteriocins produced by LAB from kimchi have been isolated and described. Most of these bacteriocins were screened using Lactobacillus plantarum as an indicator strain probably due to the application of bacteriocin to control acid-producing bacteria during kimchi fermentation. They were active against Gram-positive bacteria including LAB and foodborne pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. Interestingly, however, some bacteriocins exhibited the antimicrobial activity against E. coli and Salmonella Typhimurium. On the basis of their biochemical properties and low molecular weight, majority of the bacteriocins could be classified into the class II bacteriocin. In this review, we summarize the present knowledge on the classification of bacteriocins and discuss the characteristics of bacteriocins produced by LAB from kimchi.