Production and Partial Characterization of Lacticin JW3, a Bacteriocin Produced by Lactococcus lactis JW3 Isolated from Commercial Swiss Cheese Products

Strain JV3 was isolated from commercial Swiss cheese products and identified as a bacteriocin producer, which has bactericidal activity against Leuconostoc mesenteroides KCCM 11324. Strain JW3 was identified tentatively as Lactococcus lactis by the API test. The activity of lacticin JW3, named tentatively as the bacteriocin produced by Lactococcus lactis JW3, was detected during the mid-log growth phase, and reached a maximum during the early stationary phase, and decreased after the late stationary phase. Its antimicrobial activity on sensitive indicator cells was completely disappeared by protease IV. The inhibitory activities of lacticin JW3 were detected during treatments of up to $121\'^{circ}C$ for 15 min. Lacticin JW3 was very stable over a pH range of 2.0 to 9.0 The apparent molecular mass of lacticin JW3 was estimated to be in the region of 3-3.5kDa, which was determined by the direct detection of bactericidal activity after SDS-PAGE.