Type I escherichia coli pili: Chara cterization of binding to monkey kidney cells*

Abstract

We have demonstrated binding of purified pili from a strain of Escherichia coli to Vero cell monolayers as a model of prokaryotic-eukaryotic cell adherence. Pill bound to the tissue culture in a rapid reaction that did not require enzymatic activation. Attachment occurred optimally at pH 4-5 and could be inhibited by analogues of D-mannose, anti-pili antibodies, or by preincubation of tissue cells with mannose-specific plant lectins. Binding remained after treatment of the monolayer with glycosidases, trypsin, or a protease mixture but was enhanced after neuraminidase treatment. These results indicate that bacterial binding can occur via pili which act like lectins and presumably bind to mannose-containing glycoproteins on mammalian cell surfaces. © American Society for Clinical Pathology.