Abstract
Enterocin P is a pediocin-like, broad-spectrum bacteriocin which displays a strong inhibitory activity against
Listeria monocytogenes
. The bacteriocin was purified from the culture supernatant of
Enterococcus faecium
P13, and its molecular mechanism of action against the sensitive strain
E. faecium
T136 was evaluated. Although enterocin P caused significant reduction of the membrane potential (ΔΨ) and the intracellular ATP pool of the indicator organism, the pH gradient (ΔpH) component of the proton motive force (Δp) was not dissipated. By contrast, enterocin P caused carboxyfluorescein efflux from
E. faecium
T136-derived liposomes.