colicin
- noun
- /ˈkoʊlɪsɪn/
- Specialized
- Understanding how colicin works may help develop new treatments for bacterial infections.
Examples
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The team isolated a new type of colicin with strong antibacterial properties.
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Some colicins are effective against antibiotic-resistant strains.
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Researchers discovered that the colicin produced by E. coli could eliminate competing bacteria.
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The colicin produced by E. coli can eliminate competing bacteria.
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Researchers discovered that the colicin produced by E. coli could eliminate competing bacteria.
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The team isolated a new type of colicin that effectively inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria.
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Studies show that colicins can kill other bacteria, potentially leading to new antibiotic therapies.
Synonyms
A protein made by some bacteria that kills other bacteria or stops their growth
Surface Forms
Morphology
colicin = E. coli (opaque) = coli + in
Formed from the bacterial name element 'coli' plus the protein-forming suffix '-in'; this is a specialized scientific formation not transparently meaningful to general learners.
Etymology
Colicin comes from coli, the name of the bacterium E. coli, plus the ending -in, which shows it is a 'protein' like in 'protein' or 'insulin'. So colicin is a 'protein' made by E. coli that can kill or stop other bacteria.