Characterization of Bacteriocin Produced by Lactobacillus bulgaricus

The antimicrobial substance produced by Lactobacillus bulgaricus was inactivated by protease. It showed inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC6538, Streptococcus agalactiae ATCC14364, some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and characteristics of a bacteriocin. The optimal temperature and culture time for the production of bacteriocin were 30°C and 10 h, respectively, in the culture of L. bulgaricus. The bacteriocin production started in the exponential phase and reached a maximum at the early stationary phase. Using Staph. aureus ATCC6538 and Strep. agalactiae ATCC14364, known as common bovine mastitis pathogens, as indicator strains for determination of the bacteriocin activity, the antimicrobial activity of the bacteriocin was found to be stable in acidic and neutral pH's (2-7) even at 100°C, whereas it was lost at high pH (10-11) and 100°C. The mode of action for the antimicrobial activity was bacteriocidal, and the molecular weight determined by SDS-PAGE and overlay method was 14 kDa.