With the growing consumer demand for clean-label products, natural biopreservatives have attracted considerable attention as alternatives to conventional chemical preservatives. This study aimed to evaluate a bacteriocin produced by Bacillus velezensi...
With the growing consumer demand for clean-label products, natural biopreservatives have attracted considerable attention as alternatives to conventional chemical preservatives. This study aimed to evaluate a bacteriocin produced by Bacillus velezensis FZB42 isolated from kimchi by optimizing its production conditions, characterizing its physicochemical properties, and assessing its biofilm control efficacy.
The isolated strain was identified as B. velezensis FZB42 via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. PCR analysis confirmed the presence of the acnA gene encoding the precursor of amylocyclicin (a bacteriocin), as well as lipopeptide genes (surfactin, fengycin, and iturin), while no enterotoxin genes were detected. The optimal culture conditions maximizing bacteriocin activity (320 AU/mL) were established in LB medium at pH 7.0 and 30°C for 24 hours. The bacteriocin was purified using a Sep-Pak C18 cartridge and RP-HPLC, and its precise molecular weight was determined to be 6,374.5 Da by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.
The purified amylocyclicin exhibited potent antibacterial activity exclusively against Gram-positive bacteria, with Listeria monocytogenes KCCM 40307 showing the highest sensitivity, with a MIC50 of 0.419 mg/mL. Mode of action studies revealed a bactericidal effect, which was visually confirmed by FE-SEM through the cell wall and, membrane disruption, and subsequent leakage of intracellular contents in treated indicator cells. Furthermore, the bacteriocin retained full antibacterial activity after thermal treatment at 80°C for 90 minutes, remained stable over a pH range of 4.0–8.0, and maintained 100% activity after exposure to methanol at concentrations up to 100%.
When applied to food model systems (soft tofu and chicken breast) inoculated with L. monocytogenes, bacterial growth was significantly inhibited during storage at a refrigerated temperature of 4°C. The formation of biofilms by foodborne pathogens on processing equipment surfaces poses a serious threat to public health and contributes to persistent cross-contamination in the food industry. Notably, while the bacteriocin did not directly disperse preformed Bacillus cereus KCCM 11204 biofilms, it successfully penetrated the dense biofilm matrix and reduced the viability of embedded sessile cells, thereby effectively controlling mature biofilms.
In conclusion, amylocyclicin produced by B. velezensis FZB42 possesses exceptional physicochemical stability and potent biofilm-penetrating bactericidal efficacy, strongly suggesting its high potential for practical application as a next-generation natural food preservative to enhance food safety.