Pseudomonas aeruginosa LecB Is Involved in Pilus Biogenesis and Protease IV Activity but Not in Adhesion to Respiratory Mucins

• Published in: Infection and Immunity Vol. 74; no. 12; pp. 7035 - 7039
• Main Authors: Sonawane, Avinash, Jyot, Jeevan, Ramphal, Reuben
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for Microbiology 01-12-2006
• Subjects: Bacterial Adhesion - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - physiology; Bacteriology; Biofilms - growth & development; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Movement; Fimbriae, Bacterial - genetics; Fimbriae, Bacterial - metabolism; Fimbriae, Bacterial - ultrastructure; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Lectins - genetics; Lectins - physiology; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Molecular Pathogenesis; Mucins - metabolism; Peptide Hydrolases - metabolism; Proteome - analysis; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - genetics; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - physiology; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - ultrastructure; Respiratory Mucosa - metabolism; Respiratory Mucosa - microbiology; Pseudomonadales; Peptidases; Mucin; Microbiology; Enzyme; Bacteria; Hydrolases; Pseudomonadaceae; Pilus; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Adhesion; Immunity
• ISSN: 0019-9567; 1098-5522
• DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00551-06

Pseudomonas aeruginosa expresses two lectins which are implicated in adhesion and biofilm formation. In this study, we demonstrate that P. aeruginosa LecB is involved in pilus biogenesis and proteolytic activity. Moreover, neither lectin was involved in adhesion to human tracheobronchial mucin. We infer that some of the ascribed functions are secondary effects on other systems rather than effects of the lectins themselves.