Bacteriocins: Recent Advances in its Application as an Antimicrobial Alternative

Due to the emergence and development of antibiotic resistance in the treatment of bacterial infections, efforts to discover new antimicrobial agents have increased. One of these antimicrobial agents is a compound produced by a large number of bacteria called bacteriocin. Bacteriocins are small ribosomal polypeptides that can exert their antibacterial effects against bacteria close to their producer strain or even non-closely-relatedstrains. Adequate knowledge of the structure and functional mechanisms of bacteriocins and their spectrum of activity, as well as knowledge of the mechanisms of possible resistance to these compounds, will lead to further development of their use as an alternative to antibiotics. Furthermore, most bacteria that live in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) have the ability to produce bacteriocins, which spread throughout the GIT. Despite antimicrobial studies in vitro, our knowledge of bacteriocins in the GIT and the migration of these bacteriocins from the epithelial barrier is low. Hence, in this study, we reviewed general information about bacteriocins, such as classification, mechanism of action and resistance, emphasizing their presence, stability, and spectrum of activity in the GIT.