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Abstract

The review presents the characteristics of bacteria of the Lactobacillus family and their abi lity to synthesize various bacteriocins. The classification of bacteriocins of lactobacilli is given, which includes three classes: class I -lantibiotics (peptides with a molecular weight of less than 5 kDa, which contain lanthionine), class II -unmodified bacteriocins, also called nonlantibiotics (heat-resistant peptides , which do not contain lanthionine and have a molecular weight less than 10 kDa), and class III -a poorly studied group of thermolabile proteins with a molecular weight of more than 30 kDa. Lactobacilli are shown to synthesize a wide spectrum of bacteriocins, which demonstrate a variety of actions and are able to inhibit the growth of numerous species of opportunistic gram-positive microflora. The article also provides the examples of bacteriocins produced by Lactobacillus isolated from food products (fermented meat, fish, kombucha, goat milk, koumiss, etc.) and various human biotopes (microbiota of breast milk, intestinal tract and vaginal secretions). Additionally, the review shows the prospects of wide application of bacteriocins synthesized by Lactobacillus in the food and pharmaceutical industries.