Vibriocin

Vibriocins are a group of bacteriocins produced by, and active against, gram-negative bacteria in the genus Vibrio. They were first discovered in 1962,{{cite journal |vauthors=Farkas-Himsley H, Seyfried PL |title=Lethal biosynthesis of a new antibacterial principle: vibriocin |journal=Nature |volume=193 |issue= 4821|pages=1193–4 |year=1962 |pmid=13891648 |doi= 10.1038/1931193a0|bibcode=1962Natur.193.1193F }} considerably after the original bacteriocins, the colicins, which were discovered in 1925.

Like other bacteriocins, vibriocins are protein toxins.{{cite journal |vauthors=Jayawardene A, Farkas-Himsley H |title=Particulate nature of vibriocin: a bacteriocin from Vibrio comma |journal=Nature |volume=219 |issue=5149 |pages=79–80 |year=1968 |pmid=5659626 |doi= 10.1038/219079a0|bibcode=1968Natur.219...79J }} They can kill bacteria beyond the genus Vibrio, including other proteobacteria.{{cite journal |journal = Journal of Bacteriology |year = 1969 |volume = 98 |issue = 2 |pages = 849–850 |title = Effect of Vibriocins on Members of the Enterobacteriaceae |vauthors = Datta A, Prescott LM |doi = 10.1128/jb.98.2.849-850.1969 |pmid = 4891272 |pmc = 284902}} They have been used for abortive classification schemes of the vibrio,{{cite journal |vauthors=Israil AM, Nacescu N, Ciufecu C, Stefanescu C |title=Studies on bacteriocin production by NAG-strains of Vibrio cholerae as a possible epidemiological marker |journal=Zentralbl. Bakteriol. Mikrobiol. Hyg. A. |volume=255 |issue=2–3 |pages=285–93 |year=1983 |pmid=6649979 }}{{cite journal |vauthors=Chakrabarty AN, Adhya S, Basu J, Dastidar SJ |journal=Infection and Immunity |year=1970 |volume=1 |issue=3 |pages=293–299 |title=Bacteriocin Typing of Vibrio cholerae |doi=10.1128/iai.1.3.293-299.1970 |pmid=16557731 |pmc=415895}}{{cite journal |vauthors=Israil AM, Nacescu N, Ciufecu C, Cedru C |title=The development and application of a bacteriocinogenotyping scheme for Vibrio cholerae non-group O-1 strains |journal=Zentralbl. Bakteriol. Mikrobiol. Hyg. A. |volume=264 |issue=1–2 |pages=235–45 |year=1987 |pmid=3630474 |doi= 10.1016/s0176-6724(87)80144-x}} particularly to type various kinds of cholera, against which they were thought to have potential as antibiotics. Their mode of action,{{cite journal |vauthors=Jayawardene A, Farkas-Himsley H |title=Mode of Action of Vibriocin |journal=J. Bacteriol. |volume=102 |issue=2 |pages=382–8 |year=1970 |doi=10.1128/jb.102.2.382-388.1970 |pmid=5419258 |pmc=247562}}{{cite journal |journal=Infection and Immunity |vauthors=Krol PM, Farkas-Himsley H |title=Mode of Action of Vibriocin: Initial Interaction with Vibrio comma Cells |year=1971 |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=184–186 |doi=10.1128/iai.3.1.184-186.1971 |pmid=16557939 |pmc=416127}}

genetics and regulation{{cite journal |vauthors=Jayawardene A, Farkas-Himsley H |title=Production of vibriocin: induction and synthesis |journal=Microbios |volume=6 |issue=21 |pages=35–46 |year=1972 |pmid=4670015 }} have all been studied, for at least one example. In all likelihood, however, they are as common and as diverse as the colicins, making it very unlikely that these initial experiments have fully explored the range of mechanisms and forms that the vibriocins take.{{Original research inline|date=January 2008}}

In the 1970s, they were investigated, along with some colicins, as potential chemotherapeutic agents. The mode of action appears to be nuclease activity resulting in the induction of apoptosis. The research itself was the result of observing unexpected interactions between the vibriocins and eukaryotic cells.{{cite journal |author=Farkas-Himsley H |title=Bacteriocins--are they broad-spectrum antibiotics? |journal=J. Antimicrob. Chemother. |volume=6 |issue=4 |pages=424–6 |year=1980 |pmid=7430010 |doi=10.1093/jac/6.4.424|doi-access= }}