Isolation and characterisation of an enterocin P-producing Enterococcus lactis strain from a fresh shrimp (Penaeus vannamei).

Screening for lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from fresh shrimp samples (Penaeus vannamei) collected from retail seafood markets in the Tunisian's coast, resulted in the isolation of an Enterococcus strain termed Q1. This strain was selected for its antagonistic activity against pathogenic bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lactococcus garvieae and against fungi (Aspergillus niger and Fusarium equiseti). The Q1 strain was characterised using standard morphological and biochemical tests, growth assays at different temperatures, pH and salinity. 16S rRNA, rpoA and pheS gene sequencing, as well as the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer analyses, were combined to identify strain Q1 as a strain of Enterococcus lactis. The bacteriocin produced by E. lactis Q1 is thermostable, active in the pH range from 4.0 to 9.0 and has a bactericidal mode of action. The enterocin P structural gene was detected by specific PCR in strain E. lactis Q1, which is in good agreement with SDS-PAGE data of the purified bacteriocin. A lack of significant antibiotic resistance genes and virulence determinants was confirmed by specific PCRs. This work provides the first description of an enterocin P producer E. lactis strain isolated from a fresh shrimp. Based on its safety properties (absence of haemolytic activity, virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes), this strain has the potential to be used as a natural additive or adjunct protective culture in food biopreservation and/or probiotic culture.

Evaluation of marine bacteriocinogenic enterococci strains with inhibitory activity against fish-pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria.

Use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as probiotics may provide an alternative to the use of antibiotics in aquaculture. LAB strains isolated from wild fish viscera and skin were evaluated for bacteriocin production and safety aspects (lack of antibiotic resistance, production of virulence factors). 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed the presence of Enterococcus faecium (13 isolates) and Lactococcus lactis (3 isolates) from fish samples. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analyses of the 13 enterococci isolates showed that they were all clustered, with greater than 95% similarity. However, RAPD analysis revealed significant molecular diversity between enterococci strains. Six enterococci strains were chosen and evaluated for their antibacterial activities. These strains produced a bacteriocin-like substance and exhibited a broad spectrum of inhibition against pathogenic bacteria isolated from diseased fish, including Streptococcus parauberis, Vagococcus spp., and Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, and in particular against the Gram-negative bacteria Flavobacterium frigidarium, Vibrio pectenicida, V. penaeicida, and Photobacterium damselae. The inhibition activity towards bacterial indicator strains was at a maximum when bacteria were grown at 37°C. However, bacteriocin production was observed at 15°C after 12 h of incubation. Only structural genes of enterocins A and B were detected by PCR in the 6 enterococci strains, suggesting the production of these enterocins. In addition, these strains did not harbor any virulence factors or any significant antibiotic resistance, and they tolerated bile. Our results suggest that enterococci are an important part of the bacterial flora of fish and that some strains have the potential to be used as probiotics.