ABSTRACT: Production of bacteriocins is an important feature of pathogenic and commensal Escherichia coli strains and the prevalence of bacteriocinogenic strains present in the human gut is over 50%. Colicins and microcins (bacteriocins) are antibacterial proteins or peptides, respectively, differing in a number of characteristics including molecular mass, presence of post-translational modifications, export from producer cells, mode of lethal action, etc. Until now, more than 30 types of bacteriocins have been described in the family Enterobacteriaceae in a greater detail. A molecular interaction of bacteriocins with susceptible bacteria will be discussed as well as their possible role in bacterial virulence and their ecological role during bacterial competitions in the human gut.
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