Isolation of a mannose-specific lectin from Escherichia coli and its role in the adherence of the bacteria to epithelial cells

Yuval Eshdat*, Itzhak Ofek, Yehudit Yashouv-Gan, Nathan Sharon, David Mirelman

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

116 Scopus citations

Abstract

A high molecular weight protein aggregate, which agglutinates yeast cells, human epithelial cells and mouse lymphocytes, was isolated from extracts of Escherichia coli by differential centrifugation and gel filtration. The agglutination is specifically inhibited by d-mannose and its derivatives, the best inhibitor being p-nitrophenyl α-d-mannoside. Sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis showed that the lectin consists of protein subunits with identical Mr of ∼36500. The amino acid composition of the purified lectin is different from that reported for the type I pili protein, the K99 antigen and the major outer membrane protein Ia of E. coli. The protein appears to be located on the bacterial surface, and is probably involved in the mannose-specific adherence of E. coli to eukaryotic cells.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1551-1559
Number of pages9
JournalBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Volume85
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 29 Dec 1978
Externally publishedYes

Funding

FundersFunder number
Rockefeller Foundation

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