Table 1.
Main differences between (LAB) bacteriocins and conventional antibiotics.
| Characteristic | Bacteriocins | Antibiotics |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Food/Clinical | Clinical |
| Synthesis | Ribosomal | Secondary metabolite |
| Bioactivity spectra | Mostly narrow | Mostly broad |
| Intensity of bioactivity | Active at nano-to-micro molar range | Active at micro-to-milli molar range |
| Proteolytic enzyme degradability | High | Moderate-to-none |
| Thermal stability | High | Low |
| Active pH range | Wide | Narrow |
| Color/taste/odour | No | Yes |
| Amenability to bioengineering | Yes | No |
| Possible mechanism of target cell developing resistance | Adaptation through changes in cell membrane composition | Genetically transferable determinant that inactivates the active compound |
| Mode of action | Pore formation, inhibition of cell wall biosynthesis | Cell membrane or intercellular targets |
| Toxicity towards eukaryotic cells | Relatively no | Yes |