Studies of the Efficacy of Enterocoliticin, a Phage‐Tail Like Bacteriocin, as Antimicrobial Agent Against Yersinia enterocolitica Serotype O3 in a Cell Culture System and in Mice

Abstract

The efficacy of enterocoliticin, a phage tail-like bacteriocin, as antimicrobial compound against infections with pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O3 strains was assessed. In cell cultures, which were infected with the Y. enterocolitica strains 13 169 or 6471/76, bactericidal activity of enterocoliticin was found for bacteria adhering to the surface of eukaryotic cells, whereas bacteria, which had invaded the eukaryotic cells, were not accessible to the bacteriocin. The interaction of enterocoliticin with Y. enterocolitica was further examined in animals. Female BALB/c mice were experimentally infected with the two Y. enterocolitica strains and enterocoliticin was applied as antimicrobial compound by the oral route. Experimental variations concerning the infectious doses of the Y. enterocolitica strains and the time points of application of the bacteriocin were investigated. The increase of the Yersinia CFU titre in animals was retarded at time points shortly after the application of enterocoliticin indicating that the particles were effective on recently introduced Yersinia. The repeated application of enterocoliticin, however, did not prevent the colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by Yersinia.

Novel High-Molecular-Weight, R-Type Bacteriocins of Clostridium difficile

“…Particularly attractive is the potential prophylactic use of these specifically targeted bactericidal diffocins for prevention of colonization or for decolonization of asymptomatic human carriers, particularly individuals scheduled for antibiotic-mediated insults to their intestinal microbiota. Oral and parenteral R-type bacteriocins have been demonstrated to be effective prophylactics and therapeutics in animal models (6,12,21,29,30). We expect that orally administered diffocins could similarly be used to treat or prevent CDI.…”

“…Furthermore, no means of prophylaxis is available except for care facility and personal hygiene, such as thorough hand washing by those persons exposed to the spores, especially hospital staff. Studies showing that phage tail-like R-type bacteriocins can be used orally and parentally to treat bacterial infections (6,12,21,29,30) have prompted us to identify similar entities specific for C. difficile for possibile use in the treatment or prevention of CDI.…”

Phage Tail-Like (High-Molecular-Weight) Bacteriocins of Budvicia aquatica and Pragia fontium ( Enterobacteriaceae )

“…Simultaneous production of R-type and F-type bacteriocins was described in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains (10,16). The narrow specificity of phage tail-like bacteriocins and the absence of nucleic acid in their particles may play an important role in the construction of new therapeutic agents with directed action against bacterial strains (7,23).…”

The therapeutic potential of bacteriocins as protein antibiotics

“…Enterocoliticin, an R-type tailocin from Yersinia enterocolitica, was found to be effective for the treatment of mice orally infected with Y. enterocolitica when given orally [49]. The tailocin was only found to be active in vivo for 5 h; however, doses were given up to 24 h apart.…”

“…The tailocin was only found to be active in vivo for 5 h; however, doses were given up to 24 h apart. Taking this into consideration, only those mice that received enterocoliticin 1 h after infection and were analyzed 5 h later can inform on the effect of the tailocin, and these mice did indeed show significantly reduced bacterial numbers (Table 1) [49]. Unfortunately, many CLBs and tailocins that were shown to be active in vivo [50][51][52][53][54][55] cannot be identified today, due to incoherent naming and lack of identification of the active molecules (Table 1).…”