• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2005

Enterococcus faecium MJ-14, having strong antilisterial activity, was isolated from Korean fermented food, Meju. MJ-14 showed the same phenotypic characteristics, but different sugar utilization, as reference strain, E. faecium KCCM12118. It could utilize D-xylose, amygdaline, and gluconate, whereas E. faecium KCCM12118 could not. Optimal condition for bacteriocin production by E. faecium MJ-14 was at $37^{\circ}C$ and pH 7.0. Bacteriocin activity appeared in mid exponential phase and increased rapidly up to stationary phase. Activity was significantly promoted in MRS broth containing 3.0% glucose, 1.5% lactose, 2.0% peptone, or 1.5% tryptone. Bacteriocins effectively inhibited Enterococcus faecalis and Listeria spp. of Gram-positive bacteria, and Helicobacter pylori of Gram-negative bacteria, but did not inhibit yeasts and molds. They were stable against heat (for 30 min at $100^{\circ}C$), pH (3.0-9.0), long-term storage (for 60 days at 4 or $-20^{\circ}C$), and enzymatic digestion by catalase, proteinase K, papain, lysozyme, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and lipase, etc. Bacteriocin activity was completely inhibited by protease and pepsin, and 50% by ${\alpha}$-amylase. Studies on PCR detection of enterocin structural genes revealed bacteriocins are identical to enterocins A and B.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.151-160
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• 2004

Enterococcus faecium MJ5-14 isolated from Meju produced a bacteriocin, which was antagonistic towards Listeria monocytogenes. Bacteriocin activity reached a maximum (640 BU/mL) after incubation for 12 hr, the early stationary phase, then dropped after the late stationary phase. Bacterocin of E. faecium MJ5-14 was extremely active against a wide range of Listeria species, including L. monocytogenes with sensitives up to about 640 BU/mL. In case of mixed culture with 105 CFU/mL L. monocytogenes and 105 CFU/mL E. faecium MJ5-14, the inhibitory effect against L. monocytogenes at $37^{\circ}C$ was higher than at $25^{\circ}C$. The mode of action was identified as bactericidal, because the addition of 100 BU/mL this bacteriocin to cell suspensions of L. monocytogenes KCTC 3569, led to a marked decrease in the number of viable cells. Further, when held in contact with bacteriocin of E. faecium MJ15-14 for 12 hr, L. monocytogenes KCTC 3569 displayed the disruption of the cells and an important efflux of the intracellular material.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.211-216
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• 2005

The bacteriocin produced by E. faecium MJ-14 was precipitated with $50\%$ saturated ammonium sulfate in MRS broth and then the precipitated protein was dissolved in 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 6.0). The crude bacteriocin was purified by CM-sepharose CL 6B and Sephacry S-100 column chormatograhy. In this case, the purification fold of the bacteriocin was 114, therefore, its activity was 127,293 BU/mg of specific activity. Result from SDS-PAGE of the purified bacteriocin, it was obtained two protein bands of 4.3 kDa and 5.8 kDa having antilisterial activity.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.217-224
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• 2005

When L. monocytogenes ($10^{5}CFU/mL$) at exponential phase cells were heated for 5 min at $65^{\circ}C$ in the presence of the bacteriocin (30 BU/mL) produced by E. faecium MJ-14, the number of viable cells was markedly reduced at p < 0.05. The bactericidal effect of bacteriocin showed synergism with combination ot organic acids (citric acid or acetic acid) or chemical preservatives (sodium benzoate, sodium lactate, sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate). For example, the number of viable cells was reduced by 4.8 log units under combination of the bacteriocin (30 BU/mL) and sodium nitrate ($100{\mu}g/mL$), while it was reduced by 1.1 log unit only under single treatment of the bacteriocin after 12 k at $37^{\circ}C$. The addition of the bacteriocin (300 BU/mL) into skim milk inoculated with L. monocytogenes ($10^{5}$CFU/mL) reduced the cells by 1.5 log unit, in case of the cell suspension stored at $4^{\circ}C$ for 24 hr. Moreover, L. monocytogenes was reduced by 2 log unit when stored at $-20^{\circ}C$ for 7 days in gound pork added with 300 BU/mL of 린e bacteriocin.