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Molecular characterization of aureocin 4181: a natural N-formylated aureocin A70 variant with a broad spectrum of activity

  • Bacterial Fungal and Virus Molecular Biology - Research Paper
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Abstract

Bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides produced by prokaryotes. Here, the molecular characterization of aureocin 4181, a bacteriocin produced by Staphylococcus aureus 4181, a strain involved in bovine mastitis, is presented. Aureocin 4181 gene cluster (aurRID1CBAT) was mined from scaffold 15 of the draft genome of its producer strain. Three (AurABC) out of the four structural peptides of aureocin 4181 are identical to those of aureocin A70, except for AurD1 of aureocin 4181, which showed a conservative substitution of Leu29 to Phe29 when compared to AurD of aureocin A70. According to molecular mass determination and peptide sequencing, combined with genome sequencing data, aureocin 4181 is an N-formylated variant of aureocin A70. The analysis of its antimicrobial spectrum was extended to include strains of the two major contagious pathogens involved in bovine mastitis, S. aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae. Aureocin 4181 exhibited a striking activity against S. aureus, inhibiting most strains tested. Besides having a broader spectrum of activity, aureocin 4181 exhibited a stronger bacteriolytic action against the target strains and proved to be from two- to fourfold more active than aureocin A70 against S. aureus. Aureocin 4181 has potential to become an alternative drug for prevention and control of mastitic staphylococci, a pathogen that imposes a huge economic burden to dairy industry worldwide. It also represents the third four-component bacteriocin described in the literature, the second in staphylococci.

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Acknowledgments

SLSMB and GSA were recipients of scholarships from CAPES/Brazil (Finance Code 001) and PIBIC/UFRJ, respectively. PCF is recipient of a fellowship from FAPERJ/Brazil. Genome sequencing was performed at the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Brazil.

Funding

This work was supported by a research program funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq, 303.602/2015-5), Brazil, to MCFB.

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Author notes

  1. Hilana Ceotto-Vigoder

    Present address: Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Selda Loase Salustiano Marques-Bastos, Marcus Lívio Varella Coelho, Hilana Ceotto-Vigoder, Patrícia Carlin Fagundes, Gabriela Silva Almeida & Maria do Carmo de Freire Bastos

  2. Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Marcus Lívio Varella Coelho

  3. Laboratory of Microbial Gene Technology, Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway

    Dag A. Brede & Ingolf F. Nes

  4. Embrapa Gado de Leite, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil

    Maria Aparecida Vasconcelos de Paiva Brito

  5. Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, UFRJ, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, CCS, Bloco I, room I-1-059, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil

    Maria do Carmo de Freire Bastos

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  1. Selda Loase Salustiano Marques-Bastos
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Correspondence to Maria do Carmo de Freire Bastos.

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Salustiano Marques-Bastos, S.L., Varella Coelho, M.L., Ceotto-Vigoder, H. et al. Molecular characterization of aureocin 4181: a natural N-formylated aureocin A70 variant with a broad spectrum of activity. Braz J Microbiol 51, 1527–1538 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-020-00315-z

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