Abstract
A bactericidal agent (bacteriocin 16-2) produced by rhizobial strain 16-2 has been characterized as a sheathless rod-shaped particle with a length of 200 nm and a diam. of 8 nm. One end of the rod is pointed and carries short fibre-like appendages, while the other end appears square. The particles specifically adsorb with their pointed end to bacteriocin-sensitive, but not to bacteriocin-resistant, cells. The possible mode of action of this bacteriocin is discussed.