Antibacterial activity of GVL,a lectin isolated from marine algae Gracilaria verrucosa

Lectins are univalent or polyvalent carbohydrate-binding proteins of non-immune origin that are widely distributed in the marine ecosystem. A lectin was isolated from marine algae Gracilaria verrucosa by G-100 gel filtration chromatography. This lectin was named GVL, agglutinated rat, rabbit, goat, chicken and human ABO erythrocytes. The antibacterial activity of this algal lectin was studied using disc diffusion method. GVL exhibited potent antibacterial activity against bacteria such as E.coli, S.pyogenes, S.aureus, E.faecalis, B.subtilis and coagulase-negative Staphylococci(CoNS) by disc diffusion method. Also, the results were compared with the standard antibiotic Ampicillin. These findings indicate that GVL is having therapeutic applications with great importance in clinical microbiology.