Enterocin CRL35 is an antibacterial polypeptide of 3.5 x 10(3) Da produced
by Enterococcus faecium CRL35. A series of experiments are described that s
how the enterocin also had antiviral activity against thymidine-kinase posi
tive (tk(+)) and deficient (tk(-)) strains of herpes simplex (HSV) type 1 a
nd 2 in Vero and BHK-21 cells. This activity was observed at 100 mu g/ml, 1
5-fold lower than the cytotoxic concentration. In both cell lines there was
a 2 log inhibition of infectivity. The compound inhibited viral multiplica
tion in a dose-dependent manner and had no virucidal effect. Enterocin CRL3
5 also inhibited the virion-associated host shutoff in infected Vero cells
showing that intracellular viral multiplication was affected. (C) 1999 Else
vier Science B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights res
erved.