Molecular biology of Escherichia coli type 1 fimbriae

Per Klemm, Karen A Krogfelt

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Abstract

Most strains of Escherichia coli are able to express type 1 fimbriae. These are thread-like surface organelles consisting of around 1000 subunits of a major structural component, the FimA protein, as well as a few percent minor components. Type 1 fimbriae mediate binding to D-mannose containing structures and thereby enable the bacteria to colonize various host tissues (1, 2). Inhibition of binding of type 1 fimbriated bacteria as well as purified type 1 fimbriae to various cell types has been extensively studied. In all cases it was found that D-mannose itself and most derivatives of this sugar were very potent inhibitors of type 1 fimbriae mediated adhesion, whereas all saccharides not containing D-mannose showed no inhibitory effect. It has been proposed that the biological role of type 1 fimbriae is to provide bacterial adhesion to mucus in the large intestine which is the natural habitat of E. coli. Furthermore, several lines of evidence point to a role of type 1 fimbriae as possible virulence factors in uropathogenic E. coli strains.
OriginalsprogUdefineret/Ukendt
TitelMolecular Pathogenesis of Gastrointestinal Infections
RedaktørerT Wadström, PH Mäkelä, A.-M. Svennerholm, H. Wolf-Watz
Antal sider6
ForlagSpringer
Publikationsdato1991
Sider87-92
ISBN (Trykt)978-1-4684-5984-5
ISBN (Elektronisk)978-1-4684-5982-1
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 1991
Udgivet eksterntJa
NavnF.E.M.S. Symposium Series

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