Screening for lectin-like protein-producing microorganisms based on cell surface proteins

A method for screening lectin-producing microorganisms was developed. The presence of lectin on microbial cell surfaces was used as an index for their selective isolation. The lectin-producing microorganisms adhered to sugar-modified agarose beads and were selectively eluted with specific saccharide solutions. Spin columns were an effective tool for excluding non-lectin producers. Eighty-seven percent of the microorganisms that were eluted from the beads showed hemagglutination. The results of sequence analysis indicated that some of the eluted microorganisms have not been previously identified as lectin-producing microorganisms.