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