Proteolytically activated antibacterial toxins inhibit the growth of diverse gram-positive bacteria

Many species of bacteria produce small-molecule antibiotics that enter and kill a wide range of competitor microbes. However, diffusible antibacterial proteins (ABPs) that share this broad-spectrum activity are not known to exist. Here, we report a family of proteins widespread in gram-positive bacteria that display potent antibacterial activity against a diverse range of target organisms. Upon entering susceptible cells, these ABPs …