Strategies for screening, purification and characterization of bacteriocins

Bacteriocins are bioactive antimicrobial peptides synthesized in the ribosome of numerous bacteria and released extracellularly. Bacteriocins have the ability to kill or inhibit the growth of prokaryotes and could potentially be useful against pathogens and antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. The antimicrobial mechanisms and relatively narrow killing spectrums of bacteriocins distinguish them from traditional broad-spectrum antibiotics, making them possible candidates to replace antibiotics in the future. In recent years, researchers have discovered many new bacteriocins from different sources. However, the discovery of new bacteriocins involves complicated screening, identification, purification, and characterization processes. This review describes the strategies currently employed for screening, identification, purification, and characterization of bacteriocins. Approximately 40 novel bacteriocins are reviewed in this paper. Our conclusions about the research process will guide the development of novel methods and allow for the faster, easier, and more efficient discovery of novel bacteriocins.