Purification and Characterization of 221, the Cationic Peptide that Inhibits Staphylococcus aureus

Bacteriocins are proteinaceous substances produced by certain bacteria, which display growth-inhibitory activity against a range of other bacteria belonging to the same or closely-related species. Bacteriocins of gram-negative bacteria (colisins) have been extensively characterized, resulting in comprehensive knowledge of the genetic basis, domain structure, mode of formation, and killing action of these molecules [5,6]. On the other hand, the bacteriocins of gram-positive bacteria have been classified into numerous subtypes [7-9]. The first class of bacteriocins (lantibiotics) is distinguishable from other antibiotics because of their polypeptide nature and bioactive properties. We here investigate the administration of the novel cationic peptide antibiotic (221) as a future opportunity for treating staphylococcal infections.