Purification, characterization, and mode of action of Sakacin ZFM225, a novel bacteriocin from Lactobacillus sakei ZFM225

Bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have attracted widespread attention as a new type of biological preservative due to their safety, high efficiency, and non-toxic characteristics. In this study, we focused on Sakacin ZFM225, a novel bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus sakei ZFM225, which was isolated from raw milk. It was purified by a strategy including precipitation with 70% ammonium sulfate, cation exchange chromatography and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The predicted molecular weight of Sakacin ZFM225 was 14950.92 Da. Sakacin ZFM225 exhibited resistance to high temperatures, strong activity under acidic conditions, and sensitivity to trypsin and pepsin. Bacteriocins from Lactobacillus sakei mainly inhibited the growth of Listeria monocytogenes. The bacteriocin possessed a broad-spectrum inhibition which could kill many foodborne pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus luteus, and Staphylococcus aureus. We further demonstrated that the mode of action of Sakacin ZFM225 was related to the formation of cell membrane porosity, and excluded Lipid Ⅱ as its target. These results suggest that this new bacteriocin has great potential in food industry as a biological preservative and even medical field.