Protein Domain : Lactococcin-A immunity protein-like IPR015046

Type	Family
Description	Gram-positive lactobacilli produce bacteriocins to kill closely-related competitor species [ ]. To protect themselves from the bactericidal activity of this molecule they co-express an immunity protein. This entry represents Lactococcin-A immunity protein from Lactococcus lactis and similar proteins predominantly found in the bacterial class Bacilli. The structure of this protein is a soluble, cytoplasmic, antiparallel four α-helical globular bundle with a fifth, more flexible and more divergent C-terminal helical hair-pin [ , ]. The C-terminal hair-pin recognises the C terminus of the producer bacteriocin and this interaction is sufficient to dis-orient the bacteriocin within the membrane and close up the permeabilising pore that on its own the bacteriocin creates []. These immunity proteins interact in the same way with other bacteriocins. Since many enterococci can produce more than one bacteriocin it seems likely that the whole operon can be carried on transferable plasmids [].
Short Name	LciA_Immunity-like