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ISOLATION AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ENTEROCIN ESF100  PRODUCED  BY ENTEROCOCCUS FAECALIS ESF100  ISOLATED  FROM  A  PATIENT SUFFERING FROM URINARY TRACT INFECTION

 SAMIA AHMAD, ALFRED IQBAL AND SHEIKH AJAZ RASOOL

Abstract: Enterococcus faecalis ESF100 has been found to produce antibacterial substance known as enterocin ESF100. The inhibitory activity could not be related to organic acids, bacteriophages and hydrogen peroxide. It has a broad-spectrum activity against many Gram+ve bacteria but less active against Gram-ve bacteria. It could be stored at 4^oC for 2 months without loss of activity and remained stable at 60, 80, 100^oC and autoclaving for 60 min., 40 min., 30 min., and 15 min., respectively. It is stable from pH 5-8.5. Enterocin ESF100 is resistant to treatment with chloroform, ficin, lipase, lysozyme and pepsin A, but partially sensitive to trypsin and fully sensitive to pronase E and chymotrypsin. Its production starts in early logarithmic phase and reaches to maximum between 2½-4 h and then remains constant throughout incubation. It has bactericidal effect and causes rapid cessation of the growth of the sensitive strains. Its production is regulated by the genetic factors located on the extra-chromosomal element (plasmid) pESF100 having molecular weight > 1.4x10⁷Da.
 

 Department of Microbiology, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan