title: Killing of Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli Strains Carrying D-mannose-sensitive Ligands by Mytilus Hemocytes is Promoted by a Multifunctional Hemolymph Serum Protein.
abstract: In aquatic environments, bivalve mollusks represent an important ecological niche for microorganisms. Persistence of bacteria in bivalve tissues partly depends on their capacity to survive the bactericidal activity of the hemolymph due to both cellular (hemocyes) and soluble serum factors (e.g., enzymes, lectins, opsonins). The extrapallial protein (EP) present in serum of Mytilus galloprovincialis (MgEP) has been recently shown to work as an opsonin promoting D-mannose sensitive (MS) interactions of the bivalve pathogen Vibrio aestuarianus 01/032 strain with the hemocytes. In this study, the role of MgEP in adhesion and killing of other bacteria carrying MS sensitive ligands was investigated. MgEP enhanced adhesion to and killing by hemocytes of Vibrio cholerae ElTor N16961, expressing the MS hemagglutin (MSHA), as well as of Escherichia coli MG1655, carrying type 1 fimbriae. These results further support the recent finding that the multifunctional MgEP also acts as an opsonin involved in mussel defense towards bacteria carrying MS ligands. In addition, these results contribute to elucidate the ecology of bacterial pathogens that can be transmitted to humans via shellfish consumption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hearth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Canesi
authors.affiliation: Department of Hearth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grande
authors.affiliation: Department of Hearth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pezzati
authors.affiliation: Department of Hearth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Balbi
authors.affiliation: Department of Hearth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vezzulli
authors.affiliation: Department of Hearth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132, Genova, Italy. carla.pruzzo@unige.it.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pruzzo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology*; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000276:immunology*; D008358:Mannose / Q000494:pharmacology; D049878:Mytilus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D009895:Opsonin Proteins; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D009895:Opsonin Proteins; D008358:Mannose
keywords: Escherichia coli; Extrapallial protein; Hemocytes; Mannose sensitive interactions; Mytilus galloprovincialis; Vibrio cholerae