Purification, characterization and functional analysis of the immune molecule lectin from the haemolymph of blue swimmer crab Portunus pelagicus and their antibiofilm properties

Fish Shellfish Immunol. 2017 Mar:62:227-237. doi: 10.1016/j.fsi.2017.01.019. Epub 2017 Jan 18.

Abstract

The present study reveals purification and characterization of immune molecule lectin from the haemolymph of blue swimmer crab Portunus pelagicus (Pp-Lec). The Pp-Lec was purified by affinity chromatography with mannose coupled sepharose CL-4B column and it exhibits single band with a molecular weight of 155 kDa in SDS-PAGE. The surface morphology of purified Pp-Lec displays the homogeneous nature of protein. A distinct peak with a retention time of 3.3 min was appeared in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis expresses a single peak at 31.5° which shows the purity and crystalline nature of the protein respectively. Functional analysis of purified Pp-Lec exhibits encapsulation activity against sepharose beads and yeast agglutination activity against Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Moreover, the purified Pp-Lec has the ability to agglutinates with the human erythrocytes among tested and which was observed by light microscopy. In addition, purified Pp-Lec showed the broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against Gram-positive Bacillus pumulis, Bacillus thuringiensis, Enterococcus faecalis and Gram negative Citrobacter amalonaticus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Citrobacter murliniae, Citrobacter freundii, Morganella morganii. Antibiofilm potential of purified Pp-Lec against selective Gram-negative bacteria showed the disruption of biofilm architecture at the concentration of 50 μg ml-1.

Keywords: Antibiofilm activity; Haemagglutination; Lectin; Portunus pelagicus.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arthropod Proteins / genetics
  • Arthropod Proteins / immunology
  • Biofilms / drug effects*
  • Brachyura / genetics*
  • Brachyura / immunology*
  • Brachyura / metabolism
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / drug effects
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / physiology*
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / drug effects
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / physiology*
  • Hemolymph / chemistry
  • Lectins / genetics*
  • Lectins / immunology
  • Lectins / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Arthropod Proteins
  • Lectins