Characterization of a C-Type Lectin Domain-Containing Protein with Antibacterial Activity from Pacific Abalone (Haliotis discus hannai)

Genes that influence the growth of Pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) may improve the productivity of the aquaculture industry. Previous research demonstrated that the differential expression of a gene encoding a C-type lectin domain-containing protein (CTLD) was associated with a faster growth in Pacific abalone. We analyzed this gene and identified an open reading frame that consisted of 145 amino acids. The sequence showed a significant homology to other genes that encode CTLDs in the genus Haliotis. Expression profiling analysis at different developmental stages and from various tissues showed that the gene was first expressed at approximately 50 days after fertilization (shell length of 2.47 ± 0.13 mm). In adult Pacific abalone, the gene was strongly expressed in the epipodium, gill, and mantle. Recombinant Pacific abalone CTLD purified from Escherichia coli exhibited antimicrobial activity against several Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus iniae, and Lactococcus garvieae) and Gram-negative bacteria (Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio harveyi). We also performed bacterial agglutination assays in the presence of Ca2+, as well as bacterial binding assays in the presence of the detergent dodecyl maltoside. Incubation with E. coli and B. subtilis cells suggested that the CTLD stimulated Ca2+-dependent bacterial agglutination. Our results suggest that this novel Pacific abalone CTLD is important for the pathogen recognition in the gastropod host defense mechanism.

BACTERIAL AGGLUTINATION BY A LECTIN FROM THE LEAVES OF THE MEDICINAL PLANT, PIMENTA DIOICA (L.) MERR

Objective: The current investigation involves the purification, characterization of the lectin from the leaves of Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr. (Myrtaceae) a medicinal plant, and its application in bacterial typing.Methods: A lectin was purified from the leaves by cation exchange chromatography. SDS PAGE revealed the molecular weight of the purified lectin. Biochemical characterization was carried out by performing various tests. Hemagglutination inhibition was conducted to detect the sugar specificity. Additionally, bacterial agglutination was performed to predict whether the purified lectin was able to agglutinate the bacterial strains.Results: SDS PAGE analysis revealed the lectin to be a tetramer in the range of 43-66 kDa. The purified lectin agglutinated human, avian, and mouse erythrocytes, and was inhibited by 125 mmol of mannose and xylose. The lectin was stable at 0-60 ° C for 30 min and was unaffected by either 2-Mercaptoethanol (2-ME) or Dithiothreitol (DTT) (50-250µM). A pH of 6.0–8.0 was found optimum for its activity and was nearly independent of metal ions. The purified lectin contained about 20% carbohydrate as estimated by Anthrone method. Purified lectin agglutinated the Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Proteus vulgaris.Conclusion: The isolated lectin was found to possess significant hemagglutinating activity. Due to its ability to agglutinate Gram negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Proteus vulgaris, it could be used for bacterial typing and for the design of bacterial filters.

High Bacterial Agglutination Activity in a Single-CRD C-Type Lectin from Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Lectins are carbohydrate-interacting proteins playing a pivotal role in multiple physiological and developmental aspects of all organisms. They can specifically interact with different bacterial and viral pathogens through the carbohydrate-recognition domains (CRD). In addition, lectins are also of biotechnological interest because of their potential use as biosensor for capturing and identification of bacterial species. In this work, we have characterized the bacterial agglutination properties of three C-type lectins from the Lepidoptera Spodoptera exigua. One of these lectins, BLL2, was able to agglutinate cells from a broad range of bacterial species at an extremely low concentration, becoming a very interesting protein to be used as biosensor or other biotechnological applications involving bacterial capturing.

Immunomodulatory effects of dietary β-glucan in silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen)

ABSTRACT: The immunomodulatory effects of dietary β-glucan were evaluated in silver catfish. β-glucan was added to the diet (0.01%, and 0.1%) and fed to the fish for 21 days, to evaluate effects on blood and some innate immune parameter, or fed for 42 days, to evaluate growth rate and resistance to challenge with pathogenic Aeromonas hydrophila. We found that adding β-glucan to the diet had no effect on fish growth and no effect on blood cells, or serum bacterial agglutination and serum myeloperoxidase activity. However, fish that received β-glucan in the diet had the natural hemolytic activity of complement significantly higher compared to control fish. Furthermore, fish fed with β-glucan and challenged with A. hydrophila had fewer bacteria in blood and presented a significantly higher survival rate compared to control fish. Thus, we concluded that β-glucan might be explored as feed additive aiming to improve silver catfish innate immunity and resistance to specific pathogen.

Targeting Alpha Toxin and ClfA with a Multimechanistic Monoclonal-Antibody-Based Approach for Prophylaxis of SeriousStaphylococcus aureusDisease

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureusproduces numerous virulence factors, each contributing different mechanisms to bacterial pathogenesis in a spectrum of diseases. Alpha toxin (AT), a cytolytic pore-forming toxin, plays a key role in skin and soft tissue infections and pneumonia, and a human anti-AT monoclonal antibody (MAb), MEDI4893*, has been shown to reduce disease severity in dermonecrosis and pneumonia infection models. However, interstrain diversity and the complex pathogenesis ofS. aureusbloodstream infections suggests that MEDI4893* alone may not provide adequate protection againstS. aureussepsis. Clumping factor A (ClfA), a fibrinogen binding protein, is an important virulence factor facilitatingS. aureusbloodstream infections. Herein, we report on the identification of a high-affinity anti-ClfA MAb, 11H10, that inhibits ClfA binding to fibrinogen, prevents bacterial agglutination in human plasma, and promotes opsonophagocytic bacterial killing (OPK). 11H10 prophylaxis reduced disease severity in a mouse bacteremia model and was dependent on Fc effector function and OPK. Additionally, prophylaxis with 11H10 in combination with MEDI4893* provided enhanced strain coverage in this model and increased survival compared to that obtained with the individual MAbs. The MAb combination also reduced disease severity in murine dermonecrosis and pneumonia models, with activity similar to that of MEDI4893* alone. These results indicate that an MAb combination targeting multiple virulence factors provides benefit over a single MAb neutralizing one virulence mechanism by providing improved efficacy, broader strain coverage, and protection against multiple infection pathologies.IMPORTANCEAlternative strategies to broad-spectrum antibiotics are required to combat the antibiotic resistance epidemic. Previous attempts at active or passive immunization againstStaphylococcus aureustargeting single antigens have failed in clinical trials despite positive preclinical data. To provide broad disease and isolate coverage, an effective immunization strategy likely must target multiple virulence mechanisms of the pathogen. Herein, we tested a multimechanistic MAb combination targeting alpha toxin (AT) and clumping factor A (ClfA) that neutralizes AT-mediated cytotoxicity, blocks fibrinogen binding by ClfA, prevents bacterial agglutination, targets the bacteria for opsonophagocytic killing, and provides broad isolate coverage in a lethal-bacteremia model. Although each MAb alone was effective in bacteremia against some individual isolates, the MAb combination provided improved protection against other isolates. These results illustrate the importance of targeting multiple virulence mechanisms and highlight the potential for an MAb combination targeting AT and ClfA to effectively preventS. aureusdisease.