Colicin E7

Colicin E3 is a type of Colicin, a bacteriocin made by E. coli which acts against other nearby E. coli to kill them with its DNase activity; it digests the cell's genome in specific locations, ultimately leading to the death of the cell.

Synthesis and releaseSynthesis and release

After synthesis inside the E. coli cell, the colicin binds its immunity protein, Im7, to its nuclease domain, to prevent the host cell from being killed by its activity. This immunity protein is released only on binding to the outer membrane of the target cell.