nisin z

Nisin Z is a naturally occurring antimicrobial peptide (lantibiotic) produced by the bacterium Lactococcus lactis. It is a variant of the well-known food preservative nisin and differs from the more common Nisin A by a single amino acid substitution (asparagine instead of histidine at position 27). Like other lantibiotics, it contains unusual amino acids such as lanthionine and methyllanthionine formed through posttranslational modification. Nisin Z exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria—including Bacillus, Clostridium, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus—and is used primarily as a natural food preservative to extend shelf life by inhibiting spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Its mechanism involves depolarization of bacterial cytoplasmic membranes via pore formation. Recent research has also explored its antitumor potential and ability to enhance chemotherapeutic efficacy in cancer models. It has been shown to induce cell death in various cancer cell lines (e.g., non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer) and may mitigate neuroinflammation associated with Alzheimer’s disease-like pathology[2][10]. Nisin Z is stable under acidic conditions and heat sterilization but insoluble in alkaline environments.

Brand names

NisinZNisin Z®NisinZ P

Other names

lantibiotic nisin-ZnisZ recombinant protein