Original Article
Subject Category: Microbe-microbe and microbe-host interactions
The ISME Journal (2007) 1, 149–155; doi:10.1038/ismej.2007.20; published online 17 May 2007
Honey and royal jelly, like human milk, abrogate lectin-dependent infection-preceding Pseudomonas aeruginosa adhesion
Batia Lerrer1,2, Keren D Zinger-Yosovich1,2, Benjamin Avrahami1 and Nechama Gilboa-Garber1
1The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Correspondence: Professor N Gilboa-Garber, The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Geha Road, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel. E-mail: garben@mail.biu.ac.il
2These authors have contributed equally.
Received 11 December 2006; Revised 14 March 2007; Accepted 15 March 2007; Published online 17 May 2007.
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa antibiotic resistance has led to the search of natural compounds, which would competitively block its fucose>fructose/mannose-binding lectin (PA-IIL) that mediates its biofilm formation and adhesion to animal cells. Such compounds were found in human milk (HM) and avian egg whites. The present research has revealed that honey and royal jelly (RJ), which are assigned to protect beehive progeny and are applied for human infection therapy, match HM in PA-IIL blocking. The function of their fructose (higher in honey) and mannosylated glycoproteins (higher in RJ) as powerful decoys in PA-IIL neutralization is of ecological/biological importance and implementability for the antibacterial adhesion therapeutic strategy.
Keywords:
anti-adhesion, bacterial lectins, honey, infection therapy, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, royal jelly
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
RESEARCH
Structural basis for oligosaccharide-mediated adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patientsNature Structural Biology Letter (01 Dec 2002)
Abrogation of the resistance of choline-induced Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence to sub-MIC erythromycin by ethanolThe ISME Journal Scientific Correspondence
