Sanguicin, a bacteriocin of oral Streptococcus sanguis.

Streptococcus sanguis strain N-2 was found to produce a bacteriocin (sanguicin) which accumulates intracellularly. It was purified by sequential procedures about 98-fold with a recovery of 37% and appeared to be homogeneous on gel electrophoresis. Sanguicin was heat labile and was destroyed by digestion with pronase. The growth of several species of oral indigenous microorganisms was inhibited by sanguicin, of which Bacteriodes melaninogenicus was most susceptible. Sanguicin acted on susceptible cells as a bacteriostatic agent.