Leucocin F10, a bacteriocin from Leuconostoc carnosum

Leucocin F10 is a bacteriocin produced by a strain of Leuconostoc carnosum isolated from fermented meat. It is sensitive to proteolytic enzymes and α-amylase, heat resistant up to 121 °C for 10 min at pH 3.0 and is inhibitory to Listeria spp., Leuconostoc spp., Enterococcus faecalis and Lactobacillus sake. Bactericidal activity against L. innocua in potassium phosphate buffer was strongly dependent of the growth phase of the indicator cells. A rapid sub-lethal damage, followed by slow death was observed for log-phase cells of L. innocua. The bacteriocin induced a rapid release of K+ from energized L. innocua cells. Leucocin F10 production occurred at temperatures between 4 and 30 °C and followed a primary metabolite kinetics in batch fermentations at controlled pH. Maximum bacteriocin activity was obtained at pH 6.0.