Lantibiotics: structure, biosynthesis and mode of action

The lantibiotics are a group of ribosomally synthesised, post-translational ly modified peptides containing unusual amino acids, such as dehydrated and lanthionine residues. This group of bacteriocins has attracted much attent ion in recent years due to the success of the well characterised lantibioti c, nisin, as a Food preservative. Numerous other lantibiotics have since be en identified and can be divided into two groups on the basis of their stru ctures, designated type-A and type-B. To date, many of these lantibiotics h ave undergone extensive characterisation resulting in an advanced understan ding of them at both the structural and mechanistic level. This review outl ines some of the more recent developments in the biochemistry, genetics and mechanism of action of these peptides. (C) 2001 Federation of European Mic robiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reser ved.