# Synthetic Plantaricins Derived from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KM2 Induce Cell Lysis of Listeria monocytogenes

## TL;DR

This study shows that synthetic plantaricins from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KM2 can kill Listeria monocytogenes, a dangerous foodborne pathogen, by damaging its cell wall.

## Contribution

The study introduces synthetic plantaricin combinations as effective and stable antibacterial agents against L. monocytogenes.

## Key findings

- Synthetic plantaricins caused cell wall damage and lysis in L. monocytogenes.
- spPlnE&F and spPlnE&J were most effective at disrupting the bacterial cell wall.
- Plantaricin combinations remained stable and effective under various pH and temperature conditions.

## Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes is a deadly foodborne pathogen that presents significant challenges in food safety management due to its high resilience in various environments. This study evaluated antibacterial activities of synthetic plantaricins derived from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KM2 against L. monocytogenes. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of the five synthetic plantaricin combinations—spPlnA, spPlnJ, spPlnE&F, spPlnE&J, and spPlnJ&K—were 1.4, 1.5, 1.8, 1.6, and 1.6 μg/ml, respectively, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that the synthetic plantaricins induced morphological alterations, including cell wall damage and cell lysis. Notably, spPlnE&F and spPlnE&J were shown to effectively disrupt the bacterial cell wall. Furthermore, assessments of antibacterial stability under varying temperatures and pH conditions showed that plantaricin combinations maintained their efficacy at pH levels ranging from 4 to 7 and temperatures below 40°C. These findings suggest that synthetic plantaricins have strong potential as natural preservatives in food applications, offering an effective approach to targeting specific pathogens and enhancing food safety.