Cell surface hydrophobicity and macrophage association of Aeromonas salmonicida [Pathogen of fish]

• Published in: Current microbiology Vol. 9; no. 6; pp. 315 - 318
• Main Authors: Trust, T.J, Kay, W.W, Ishiguro, E.E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Springer 01-01-1983
• Subjects: Aeromonas salmonicida; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; cell surface; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; hydrophobicity; macrophages; Microbiology; Pathogenicity, virulence, toxins, bacteriocins, pyrogens, host-bacteria relations, miscellaneous strains; phagocytosis; Aeromonas salmonicida; Host agent relation; Hydrophobicity; Indirect immunofluorescence; In vitro; Cell surface; Pathogenicity; Proteins; Vertebrata; Association; Pisces; Pathogen strain; Bacteria; Macrophage
• ISSN: 0343-8651; 1432-0991
• DOI: 10.1007/BF01588826

Hydrophobic interaction chromatography and salt aggregation were used to compare the cell surface hydrophobicity of strains of the fish pathogen Aeromonas salmonicida which differed in their ability to produce the surface protein array known as A-layer. Presence of this superficial protein layer is crucial to the virulence of this organism and was found to coincide with a dramatic increase in cell surface hydrophobicity. Assays with in vitro cultured macrophages from either rainbow trout or mice revealed that this hydrophobic A-layer provided A. salmonicida cells with an enhanced ability to associate with phagocytic monocytes. This enhanced association was demonstrated in the absence of opsonizing antibody and may have important implications in the virulence of A. salmonicida for fish.