Antimicrobial potential of bacteriocins: in therapy, agriculture and food preservation

•Classification, biosynthesis and mechanism of action of bacteriocins.•Potential application of bacteriocins.•Role of genetic engineering to increase stability and alter the antimicrobial spectrum of bacteriocins.•Commercialisation and future prospects of bacteriocins.

Due to the appearance of antibiotic resistance and the toxicity associated with currently used antibiotics, peptide antibiotics are the need of the hour. Thus, demand for new antimicrobial agents has brought great interest in new technologies to enhance safety. One such antimicrobial molecule is bacteriocin, synthesised by various micro-organisms. Bacteriocins are widely used in agriculture, veterinary medicine as a therapeutic, and as a food preservative agent to control various infectious and food-borne pathogens. In this review, we highlight the potential therapeutic and food preservative applications of bacteriocin.