The Bacteriocins

In recent years bacteriocins, especially colicins, have become widely known to molecular biologists as proteins with peculiar ways of killing bacteria. These same bacteriocins have been known for a long time to bacteriology for their unusual activity spectra and enormous variety. In this monograph I have attempted to bring together our detailed knowledge of those few bacteriocins which have already re ceived attention from molecular biologists, and our less detailed hut extensive knowledge of the variety of bacteriocins which exist. The field has been reviewed in whole or in part, by several authors [FREDERICQ, 1957, 1964, 1965 (2); IVANOVICS, 1962; HAMON, 1965; REEVES, 1965 (2)]. These reviews have been very useful to the author, and readers will find further references in them, and sometimes alternative viewpoints. We have already referred to bacteriocins as proteins, and in doing so have ex cluded many more complex antibacterial agents which resemble bacteriophages or their tails. In the author's view, these phage-like particles are probably not bacterio cins, but many authors include them within the definition; the more restrictive de finition used here has meant omitting discussion of some excellent studies on what the present author would term defective bacteriophages. In the first chapter we look at the discovery of bacteriocins and an outline of their classification. With this background we can discuss in Chapters 2 to 6 the chemistry, genetics and mode of action of the more intensively studied bacteriocins.

Contenu
1 The Colicins and Other Bacteriocins.- The Discovery and Classification of Colicins.- Specific Receptors in Colicin Classification.- Terminology.- Subcategories of Colicin Types.- Colicins as Bacteriocins and Other Groups of Bacteriocins.- 2 The Chemistry.- Chemical Studies on Colicins and Related Bacteriocins.- Pyocins A2-P1-III and A3-P1-III.- Bacteriocins of Gram-positive Bacteria.- Defective Bacteriophages.- Other Observations on Chemistry of Bacteriocins.- Conclusions.- 3 Inheritance of Bacteriocinogeny.- to Bacterial Genetics.- C-Factors.- The Inheritance of Other Bacteriocins.- Intergeneric Transfer.- The Autonomous Nature of C-Factors.- The Types of C-Factor.- Transduction of Colicinogeny.- Physical Nature of C-Factors.- Conclusions.- 4 The Properties of C-Factors.- Regulation of Colicin Synthesis and C-Factor Replication.- Classification of C-Factors.- Stability and Elimination of Epichromosomes.- Conclusions.- 5 Mode of Action The Adsorption of Bacteriocins.- How Bacteriocins Kill.- The Colicin Receptor.- The Quantitation and Specificity of Colicin Adsorption.- The Nature of the Receptor.- Conclusions and Summary.- 6 Mode of Action The Biochemical Lesion.- Bacteriocins Which Affect Energy Flux.- Bacteriocins Which Affect DNA Metabolism.- Bacteriocins Which Affect Protein Synthesis.- A Bacteriocin Affecting Protein and RNA Synthesis.- Mediation of the Bacteriocin Effect.- General Conclusions on the Action of Colicins.- Bacteriocins Causing Membrane Damage.- The Bacteriocin-like Effects of Phage Adsorption.- Summary and Conclusions.- 7 The Bacteriocins in Nature.- Evolutionary Origins of Bacteriocins and Their Role in Ecology.- Relationship of Bacteriocins to Bacteriophages.- Paramecium and Paramecin.- The Killer Characteristic in Yeast.- Appendix ACatalogue of Bacteriocins.- Bacteriocins of the Enterobacteriaceae.- Alveicins.- Arizonacins.- Caratovoricins.- Cloacins.- Marcescins.- Pneumocins.- Miracins, Morganocins and Provicins.- Colicins.- Colicins Activity Spectra.- The Colicinogenic Bacteria.- Sensitivity of Different Genera to Colicins.- Problems of Classifying the Bacteriocins of the Enterobacteriaceae.- Relationships between Bacteriocins of the Enterobacteriaceae.- The Pseudomonadaceae.- Pyocins.- Fluocins.- Vibriocins.- Other Gram-negative Bacteria.- The Pesticins.- Convexins.- Columnaricins.- Meningocins.- Bacteriocins of Gram-positive Bacteria.- Staphylococcins.- Enterococcins.- Lactocins.- Monocins.- Megacins.- Cerecins.- Subtilicins.- Perfringocins.- Types of Bacteriocins.