Production of enterolysin A by a raw milk enterococcal isolate exhibiting multiple virulence factors.

Even though enterococci are a common cause of human infection they can readily be isolated from a range of food sources, including various meat and dairy products. An enterococcal strain, DPC5280, which exhibits a broad spectrum of inhibition against many Gram-positive bacteria was recently isolated from an Irish raw milk sample. Characterization of the inhibition revealed that the strain exhibits haemolytic activity characteristic of the two-component lantibiotic cytolysin and also produces a heat-labile antimicrobial protein of 34 kDa.

Molecular characterization of the restriction endonuclease gene (scrFIR) associated with the ScrFI restriction/modification system from Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris UC503.

The nucleotide sequence of the chromosomally encoded type II ScrFI restriction/modification system from Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris UC503 was completed. The ScrFI restriction endonuclease (ENase) has previously been shown to specifically recognize 5' CCNGG 3' sites, cleaving after the second cytosine and the degenerate central base.