| Carbohydrates are an essential component of life as structural and energy storage component, as stabilization, recognition, signaling and communication agents. The multiple roles of carbohydrates arise from the stability and the stereochemical diversity of glycosidic bonds. The unique branching structure of carbohydrates has inherent information potential in biological recognition processes, which enzymes, and proteins in general, can recognize, adapt to, and act upon. Research is focused on structure-function studies of pathogenic proteins, which participate on specific recognition (lectins) between a pathogen and a host organism. At present, we have been interested in proteins from opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, fytopatogen Ralstonia solanacearum and some fungal lectins as they can play a key role in host-pathogen interactions. For example, oligosaccharide-mediated recognition and adhesion are crucial points in the early steps of P. aeruginosa infection since they are followed by processes such as chronic colonisation and biofilm formation together with alginate production under the control of quorum sensing. Functional studies of carbohydrate-binding proteins should clarify and their biological role in recognition and adhesion of pathogens and structural details of lectin interactions with mono-and oligosaccharides can bring basis for the rational design of carbohydrate-based drugs directed against adhesion and virulence of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. |
