Synthesis of colicin Ia neoglycoproteins: tools towards glyco-engineering of bacterial cell surfaces.

Colicins are antimicrobial proteins produced by certain strains of that function as offensive weapons against closely-related competitor strains. Their bactericidal properties and narrow bacterial targeting range has made them of therapeutic interest. Furthermore, the applications of engineered non-bactericidal colicins are of interest as a cell surface-directed protein anchor for decorating with biomolecules.