Abstract
Saline and aqueous ethanol extracts of marine algae and the lectins from two red algal species were assayed for their antibiotic activity against marine vibrios. Experimental studies were also carried out on the influence of environmental factors on such activity, using batch cultures. The results indicated that many of the saline extracts of the algal species were active and that the activity was selective against those vibrios assayed. The algal extracts were active against Vibrio pelagius and the fish pathogen V. vulnificus, but inactive against V. neresis. Algal lectins from Eucheuma serra (ESA) and Galaxaura marginata (GMA) strongly inhibited V. vulnificus but were inactive against the other two vibrios. The antibacterial activity of algal extracts was inhibited by pretreatment with various sugars and glycoprotein. Extracts of the two red algae, E. serra and Pterocladia capillacea, in saline and aqueous ethanol, inhibited markedly the growth rate of V. vulnificus at very low concentrations. Culture results indicated that metabolites active against V. vulnificus were invariably produced in P. capillacea over a wide range of temperature, light intensity, and nutritional conditions. Enhanced antibacterial activity occurred when P. capillacea was grown under higher irradiance, severe nutrient stress and moderate temperature (20 °C), reflecting the specific antibiotic characteristics of this alga. The strong antibiotic activity of lectins towards fish pathogenic bacteria reveals one of the important roles played by algal lectins, as well as the potential high economic value of those marine algae assayed for aquaculture and for biomedical purposes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bolwell GP, JA Callow, ME Callow, LV Evans (1979) Fertilization in brown algae. II. Evidence for lectin-sensitive complementary receptors involved in gamete recognition in Fucus serratus. J Cell Sci 36:19–30
Bouarab K, P Potin, F Weinberger, J Correa, B Kloareg (2001) The Chondrus crispus - Acrochaete operculata host-pathogen association, a novel model in glycobiology and applied phycopathology. J Appl Phycol 13:185–193
Boyd WC, LR Almodovar, LG Boyd (1966) Agglutinins in marine algae for human erythrocytes. Transfusion 6:82–83
Caccamese S, R Azzolina, G Fumari, M Cormaci, S Grasso (1980) Antimicrobial and antiviral activities of extracts from Mediterranean algae. Bot Mar 23:285–288
Centeno POR, DL Ballantine (1999) Effects of culture conditions on production of antibiotically active metabolites by the marine alga Spyridia filamentosa (Ceramiaceae, Rhodophyta). I. Light. J Appl Phycol 11:217–224
Chesters CG, JA Stott (1956) Production of antibiotic substances by seaweeds. Proc. 2nd International Seaweed Symposium. Pergamon , New York, pp.49–54
Cho JY, EH Kwon, JS Choi, SY Hong, HW Shin,, YK Hong (2001) Antifouling activity of seaweed extracts on the green alga Enteromorpha prolifera and the mussel Mytilus edulis. J Appl Phycol 13:117–125
Etzler ME (1986) Distribution and function of plant lectins. In: Liener IE, Sharon N, Goldstein IJ (eds),The lectins. Properties, function, and applications in biology and medicine. Academic, Orlando, Florida, pp 371–435
Fenical W (1975) Halogenation in the Rhodophyta. A review. J Phycol 11:245–259
Fisher WS, AR DiNuzzo (1991) Agglutination of bacteria and erythrocytes by serum from six species of marine molluscs. J Invertebr Pathol 57:380–394
Guillard RRL, JH Ryther (1966) Studies of marine planktonic diatoms. I. Cyclotella nana Hustedt and Detonula confervacea (Cleve) Gran. Can J Microbiol 8:229-239
Hori K, K Miyazawa, K Ito (1986) Preliminary characterization of agglutinins from seven marine algal species. Bull Jap Soc Fish 52:323–331
Hori K, T Ogata, H Kamiya, M Mimuro (1996) Lectin-like compounds and lectin receptors in marine microalgae: hemagglutination and reactivity with purified lectins. J Phycol 32:783–790
Hornsey IS, D Hide (1974) The production of antimicrobial compounds by British marine algae. I. Antibiotic producing algae. Br Phycol J 9:353–361
Hornsey IS, D Hide (1976) The production of antimicrobial compounds by British marine algae. II. Seasonal variation in production of antibiotics. Br Phycol J11:63–67
Huang R, AD Boney (1984) Growth interactions between littoral diatoms and juvenile marine algae. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 81:21–45
Huleihel M, V Ishanu, J Tal, A Shisgaba (Malis) (2001) Antiviral effect of red microalgal polysaccarides on Herpes simplex and Varicella zoster virus. J Appl Phycol 13:127–134
Khfaji AH, AD Boney (1979) Antibiotic effects of crustose germlings of the red alga Chondrus crispus Stackh. on benthic diatoms. Ann Bot 43:231–232
Kawakubo A, H Makino, JI Ohnishi, H Hirohara, K Hori (1997) The marine red alga Eucheuma serra J. Agardh, a high yielding source of two isolectins. J Appl Phycol 9:331–338
Kilpatrick, DC (2002) Animal lectins: a historical introduction and overview. Biochim Biophys Acta 1572:187–197
Kim SH, GH Kim (1999) Cell-cell recognition during fertilization in the red alga Aglaothamnion oosumiense (Ceramiaceae, Rhodophyta). Hydrobiologia 398/399:81–89
McLachlan J, JS Craigie (1964) Algal inhibition by yellow ultraviolet absorbing substances from Fucus vesiculosus. Can J Bot 42:287–292
Ohta K (1979) Chemical studies on biologically active substances in seaweeds. Proc Int Seaweed Symp 9:401–411
Olafsen JA (1996) Lectins: models of natural and induced molecules in invertebrates. Adv Comp Environ Physiol 24:49–76
Pesando D, B Caram (1984) Screening of marine algae from the French Mediterranean coast for antibacterial and antifungal activity. Bot Mar 27: 381–386
Rogers DJ, Fish BC (1991) Marine algal lectins. In: Kilpatrick DC, van Driessche E, BØg-Hansen TC (eds) Lectin reviews, vol 1. Sigma, St. Louis, Missouri, pp129–142
Saito T, Y Matsuda (1984) Sexual agglutinin of mating-type minus gametes in Chlamydomonas reinhardii. II. Purification and characterization of minus agglutinin and comparison with plus agglutinin. Arch Microbiol 139:95–99
Sieburth J McN, JT Conover (1965) Sargassum tannin and antibiotic which retards fouling. Nature (London) (208:52–53
Tamplin ML, WS Fisher (1989) Occurrence and characteristics of agglutination of Vibrio cholerae by serum from the Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica. Appl Environ Microbiol 55:2882–2887
Tunkijjanukij S, A Olafsen (1998) Sialic acid-binding lectin with antibacterial activity from the horse mussel: further characterization and immunolocalization. Devel Comp Immun 22:139–150
Wrattens J, DJ Faulkner (1976) Cyclic polysulfides from the red alga Chondrus californica. J Org Chem 41:2465–2467
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the National Science Council and Council of Agriculture of the Republic of China.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liao, WR., Lin, JY., Shieh, WY. et al. Antibiotic activity of lectins from marine algae against marine vibrios. J IND MICROBIOL BIOTECHNOL 30, 433–439 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-003-0068-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-003-0068-7