Bacteriocin diversity and the frequency of multiple bacterlocin production in Escherichia coli

A collection of 266 faecal isolates of Escherichia coli from humans was assayed for the production of mitomycin C-inducible bacteriocins and screened using a PCR-based method for the presence of eleven colicins and seven microcins. Eight different colicins were detected and all seven microcins. Of the strains examined, 38 % produced a bacteriocin, 24 % produced a colicin and 20 % produced a microcin. Of the 102 bacteriocin-producing strains, 42 % produced one type of bacteriocin, 41 % produced two, 16 % produced three and one strain was found to produce four different bacteriocins. Strains producing more than one bacteriocin were more likely to be members of E coli genetic group B2 and less likely to belong to genetic groups A or D. Several of the bacteriocins were found to co-occur in a strain more often than would be expected by chance: microcins H47 and M; colicin Ia and microcin V; colicins B and M; colicins El and M; colicins Ell and Ia. No bacteriocins released as a consequence of cell lysis were found to co-associate more often than expected by chance. Three non-mutually exclusive hypotheses are presented that might explain the high frequency of multiple bacteriocin production in E coli strains: (1) expanded killing range, (2) expanded receptor repertoire and (3) fitness benefits in different environments.