The effect of Galleria mellonella hemolymph polypeptides on Legionella gormanii.

Elżbieta Chmiel; Marta Palusinska-Szysz; Agnieszka Zdybicka-Barabas; Małgorzata Cytryńska; Paweł Mak

doi:10.18388/abp.2014_1933

Elżbieta Chmiel Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland.;
Marta Palusinska-Szysz Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland.;
Agnieszka Zdybicka-Barabas Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland.;
Małgorzata Cytryńska Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland.;
Paweł Mak Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.;

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18388/abp.2014_1933

Abstract

Among Legionella species, which are recognized to be pathogenic for humans, L. gormanii is the second prevalent causative agent of community-acquired pneumonia after L. pneumophila. Anti-L. gormanii activity of Galleria mellonella hemolymph extract and apolipophorin III (apoLp-III) was examined. The extract and apoLp-III at the concentration 0.025 mg/ml caused 75% and 10% decrease of the bacteria survival rate, respectively. The apoLp-III-induced changes of the bacteria cell surface were analyzed for the first time by atomic force microscopy. Our studies demonstrated the powerful anti-Legionella effects of the insect defence polypeptides, which could be exploited in drugs design against these pathogens.