Studies on biochemical determinant responsible of Lactobacillus salivarius adhesion to chicken crop

The biochemical agent involved in adhesion to epithelial cells of chicken crop, by a specie-specific Lactobacillus salivarius strain, was isolated and characterized. Cells of L. salivarius A23 strain were able to autoaggregate in spent broth or in sterile bidistilled water and to adhere to chicken crop epithelium, as observed by optical and scanning electron microscope. The time required for cell aggregation demonstrated that this phenomenon follows a second order kinetic. Crop epithelia and bacterial cells were differently treated to remove the adhesion agent. Chaotropic substances and detergents did not permit strain autoaggregation, but maintained the ability to adhere. Electrophoretic and chromatographic analysis of the specific molecule, individuated by the partial purification of adhesion determinant, allowed to estimate its molecular mass as 58 KDa and 200 KDa in denaturating and native conditions, respectively; such compound appeared to be a protein.