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Table 1 Classification of bacteriocins and their major features

From: Antimicrobial potential of bacteriocins in poultry and swine production

Class

Subclass

Example

Features

I (lantibiotic)

Ia (linear)

Nisin A

• MW < 5 kDa

• Linear peptide

• Presence of modified amino acids (lanthionine, methylanthionine)

• Heat-stable

Ib (globular)

Suicin 3908

Ic (multi-components)

Lacticin 3147

II (non-lantibiotic)

IIa (pediocin-like)

Pediocin PA-1

• MW < 10 kDa

• Linear peptide

• Absence of modified amino acids

• Heat-stable

IIb (miscellaneous)a

Aureocin A53

IIc (multi-components)

Lactococcin G

III

IIIa (bacteriolytic)

Lysostaphin

• MW > 25 kDa

• Linear peptide

• Heat-sensitive

IIIb (non-lytic)

Helveticin J

IV

None

Enterocin AS-48

• MW < 8 kDa

• Cyclic peptide

  1. aThis subclass includes bacteriocins with distinct features.