Lichenicidin Biosynthesis in Escherichia coli: licFGEHI Immunity Genes Are Not Essential for Lantibiotic Production or Self-Protection

This study demonstrated, for the first time, that immunity genes licFGEHI are not essential for self-protection and production of the two-component lantibiotic lichenicidin in the Gram-negative heterologous host Escherichia coli BLic5. Additionally, it was experimentally demonstrated that lichenicidin lantibiotics are active against the E. coli imp4213 strain, a mutant strain possessing a permeable outer membrane.