Bacteriocins, Microcins and Lantibiotics

Presented here are recent findings on bacteriocins:

plasmid-encoded toxins produced by bacteria, which differ

from traditional antibiotics in killing only bacteria that

are closely related to the producing strain. Included are

introductory chapters on bacteriocins, microcins (low

molecular weight bacteriocins), and lantibiotics (peptide

antibiotics containing lanthionine), further, contributions

on pore forming bacteriocins, the mechanisms of immunity to

bacteriocins, uptake and secretion, as well as evolution of

bacteriocins. It is of particular interest that the

lantibiotic nisin is approved for use as food preservative

and another lantibiotic, epidermin, has potential as a

therapeutic drug against acne.