Abstract. Antibiotics are an essential component of contemporary medicine, used to treat a wide spectrum of bacterial diseases. However, the development of novel antibiotics has significantly slowed down in recent years, limiting treatment choices due to the lack of innovative options. The misuse and overuse of these life-saving treatments have resulted in the rise and spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria, posing a serious global health concern.  

Natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are increasingly becoming important in combating antibiotic-resistant bacterial species, often referred to as “superbugs,” due to their unique mechanisms and broad efficacy. AMPs typically inhibit microbial cells by disrupting their membranes, leading to the rapid death of bacteria and thereby reducing the development of resistance, unlike conventional antibiotics. Several bacterial species produce and secrete a variety of proteins, including bacteriocins, which are peptidic toxins produced by bacteria to inhibit the growth of other bacterial strains.    

In this study, the antibacterial activity of novel bacteriocins identified from Vibrio moabi sp. nov., a new bacterial species isolated from Dead Sea shorelines, is illustrated, along with the draft genome of this novel species. The novel bacteriocins were classified as class II bacteriocins based on their molecular weight and predicted tertiary structures. The bacteriocins were synthesized using solid phase peptide synthesis (Fmoc-SPPS). Their antibacterial 

activity was assayed against several potentially pathogenic indicator strains, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), under different physiochemical conditions. Discovery and development of novel bacteriocins described here will contribute greatly to increased commercialization of bacteriocins in food and health systems.​