Characterization of ligand-receptor interactions: Chemotaxis, biofilm, cell culture assays, and animal model methodologies

Abstract

Chemotactic motility is an essential virulence factor for the pathogenesis of Campylobacter spp. infection. In Chapter 6, we described technologies that enable initial screening and identification of ligands able to interact with chemoreceptor sensory domains. These include amino acid and glycan arrays, NMR, and SPR that are utilized to identify potential ligands interacting with Campylobacter jejuni. Here we describe techniques that enable the characterization and evaluation of ligand-receptor binding in chemotaxis through the assessment of motility and directed chemotactic motility as well as the associated phenotypes-autoagglutination behavior, biofilm formation, ability to adhere and invade cultured mammalian cells, and colonization ability in avian hosts.