A new study has been published in which we present an innovative approach to tackling Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic bacterium that poses an increasing clinical challenge due to its resistance to antibiotics. This resistance is largely linked to the formation of biofilms, protective structures that shield the bacterium and make infections difficult to treat.
In our work, we developed two molecules, photofucose-1 and photofucose-2, designed to change their conformation when exposed to light. This light-responsive behaviour allows us to modulate their activity with precision.
The molecules were created to interact with LecB, a key protein involved in biofilm formation. Among them, photofucose-2 showed a particularly strong affinity for LecB, with binding that varies according to the light-induced conformational state. By determining the crystal structure of the complex, we were able to elucidate the details of this interaction.
Our results indicate that light-controllable molecules may offer new opportunities to impair biofilm formation and support existing therapeutic strategies. This work contributes to the development of complementary approaches to traditional antibiotics, with potential implications for managing resistant infections.
Bhattacharya S, Tempra G, Colleoni A, Matera C, Castagna R, Parisini E. Synthesis, photochemical and biological evaluation of novel photoswitchable glycomimetic ligands of Pseudomonas aeruginosaLecB. RSC Adv. 2025 Dec 12;15(58):49796-49808. doi: 10.1039/d5ra06897e.
