We used a gentamicin protection assay to assess the ability of gestational pyelonephritis isolates of Escherichia coli to invade HeLa cells. The ability to enter HeLa cells was strongly associated with the presence of Dr operons coding for Dr adhesins. In contrast, the nonivasive isolates predominantly expressed papG, coding for P fimbriae.

Although atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) strains are frequently implicated in childhood diarrhea in developing countries, not much is known about their adherence properties. The phenotypic and genotypic characterization of 29 aEPEC strains expressing the localized adherence-like pattern points toward the involvement of E. coli common pilus (ECP), intimins, and other known E. ...

Two multiplex PCRs were developed for the detection of necrotoxigenic Escherichia coli virulence genes. M1 contained the primers for the toxins and the aerobactin, and M2 contained the primers for the adhesins. They were validated by single PCRs performed with reference E. coli strains and by multiplex PCRs with necrotoxigenic E. coli strains isolated from different animal species.

Putative adhesins were predicted by computer analysis of the Treponema pallidum genome. Two treponemal proteins, Tp0155 and Tp0483, demonstrated specific attachment to fibronectin, blocked bacterial adherence to fibronectin-coated slides, and supported attachment of fibronectin-producing mammalian cells. These results suggest Tp0155 and Tp0483 are fibronectin-binding proteins mediating T. palli...

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli is the most common etiological agent of urinary tract infections. Bacteria can often express multiple adhesins during infection in order to favor attachment to specific niches within the urinary tract. We have recently demonstrated that type 1 fimbria, a phase-variable virulence factor involved in adherence, was the most highly expressed adhesin during urinary tra...

To initiate invasive infection, Staphylococcus aureus must adhere to host substrates, such as the extracellular matrix or eukaryotic cells, by virtue of different surface proteins (adhesins). Recently, we identified a 60-kDa cell-secreted extracellular adherence protein (Eap) of S. aureus strain Newman with broad-spectrum binding characteristics (M. Palma, A. Haggar, and J. I. Flock, J. Bacteri...

Flagellar structures contribute to the virulence of multiple gastrointestinal pathogens either as the effectors of motility, as adhesins, or as a secretion apparatus for virulence factors. Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne, gram-positive pathogen that uses flagella to increase the efficiency of epithelial cell invasion (A. Bigot, H. Pagniez, E. Botton, C. Frehel, I. Dubail, C. Jacquet, A. ...