Abstract
The fucose binding lectin LecB affects biofilm formation and is involved in pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. LecB resides in the outer membrane and can be released specifically by treatment of an outer membrane fraction with fucose suggesting that it binds to specific ligands. Here, we report that LecB binds to the outer membrane protein OprF. In an OprF-deficient P. aeruginosa mutant, LecB is no longer detectable in the membrane but instead in the culture supernatant indicating a specific interaction between LecB and OprF.
Highlights
Lectins are proteins of non-immune origin that recognize and bind to specific carbohydrate structural epitopes
Strains of P. aeruginosa that produces high levels of these virulence factors exhibit an increased virulence potential [8]. Both lectins play a prominent role in human infections, since it was demonstrated that P. aeruginosainduced otitis externa diffusa [9], as well as respiratory tract infections [10] including those in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients [11], could be successfully treated by application of a solution containing LecA and LecB- specific sugars
P. aeruginosa is the major pathogen in the respiratory tract of patients suffering from cystic fibrosis
Summary
Lectins are proteins of non-immune origin that recognize and bind to specific carbohydrate structural epitopes This group of carbohydrate-binding proteins function as central mediators of information transfer in biological systems and perform their duties by interacting with glycoproteins, glycolipids and oligosaccharides [1]. Strains of P. aeruginosa that produces high levels of these virulence factors exhibit an increased virulence potential [8] Both lectins play a prominent role in human infections, since it was demonstrated that P. aeruginosainduced otitis externa diffusa [9], as well as respiratory tract infections [10] including those in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients [11], could be successfully treated by application of a solution containing LecA and LecB- specific sugars. We observed that an OprF-deficient P. aeruginosa mutant secretes LecB into the culture medium indicating that this lectin binds to OprF on the bacterial cell surface
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