Colicin E6

Colicin E6 is a type of Colicin, a bacteriocin made by E. coli which acts against other nearby E. coli to kill them with its 16s rRNase activity; it digests the 16s ribosomal subunit, ultimately leading to the death of the cell.

Synthesis and releaseSynthesis and release

The ColE6 operon is encoded on a plasmid in the E. coli cell, and includes the Colicin Immunity Protein, ImmE6. Once the colicin has been produced, it binds to its immunity protein; this protects the colicinogenic cell from the cytotoxic activity of the colicin.