Skip to main content
PMC home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1983 Oct;42(1):318–325. doi: 10.1128/iai.42.1.318-325.1983

Characterization of surfaces involved in adherence of Legionella pneumophila to Fischerella species.

G A Bohach, I S Snyder
PMCID: PMC264560  PMID: 6413413

Abstract

Legionella pneumophila adheres to the slime coat of Fischerella spp. This was shown by microscopic examination and by a decline in L. pneumophila CFU in samples removed from coincubation mixtures of both organisms. Binding of partially purified Fischerella slime by L. pneumophila was most efficient by young, less hydrophobic L. pneumophila cells than by older, more hydrophobic cells. Uptake of crystal violet and partitioning into hexadecane were used to measure hydrophobicity of L. pneumophila. Purified soluble Legionella antigen also bound to Fischerella slime, as shown by indirect immunofluorescence. Adherence was not specific for L. pneumophila, since a variety of gram-negative, gram-positive, and acid-fast bacteria also bound to Fischerella slime.

Full text

PDF
325

Images in this article

321Image
on p.321
322Image
on p.322

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Alexanian S., Schlecht S., Westphal O. Untersuchungen zur Wirkung von Kristallviolett auf Salmonella-R-Mutanten. 1. Bindungsversuche. Zentralbl Bakteriol Orig A. 1974 Feb;226(2):207–214. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bohach G. A., Snyder I. S. Cyanobacterial stimulation of growth and oxygen uptake by Legionella pneumophila. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Aug;46(2):528–531. doi: 10.1128/aem.46.2.528-531.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Castenholz R. W. Thermophilic blue-green algae and the thermal environment. Bacteriol Rev. 1969 Dec;33(4):476–504. doi: 10.1128/br.33.4.476-504.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Costerton J. W., Geesey G. G., Cheng K. J. How bacteria stick. Sci Am. 1978 Jan;238(1):86–95. doi: 10.1038/scientificamerican0178-86. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Demarco de Hormaeche R., Thornley M. J., Glauert A. M. Demonstration by light and electron microscopy of capsules on gonococci recently grown in vivo. J Gen Microbiol. 1978 May;106(1):81–91. doi: 10.1099/00221287-106-1-81. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Feeley J. C., Gibson R. J., Gorman G. W., Langford N. C., Rasheed J. K., Mackel D. C., Baine W. B. Charcoal-yeast extract agar: primary isolation medium for Legionella pneumophila. J Clin Microbiol. 1979 Oct;10(4):437–441. doi: 10.1128/jcm.10.4.437-441.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Feeley J. C., Gorman G. W., Weaver R. E., Mackel D. C., Smith H. W. Primary isolation media for Legionnaires disease bacterium. J Clin Microbiol. 1978 Sep;8(3):320–325. doi: 10.1128/jcm.8.3.320-325.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fliermans C. B., Cherry W. B., Orrison L. H., Thacker L. Isolation of Legionella pneumophila from nonepidemic-related aquatic habitats. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1979 Jun;37(6):1239–1242. doi: 10.1128/aem.37.6.1239-1242.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Fraser D. W., Deubner D. C., Hill D. L., Gilliam D. K. Nonpneumonic, short-incubation-period Legionellosis (Pontiac fever) in men who cleaned a steam turbine condenser. Science. 1979 Aug 17;205(4407):690–691. doi: 10.1126/science.462175. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gustafsson P., Nordström K., Normark S. Outer penetration barrier of Escherichia coli K-12: kinetics of the uptake of gentian violet by wild type and envelope mutants. J Bacteriol. 1973 Nov;116(2):893–900. doi: 10.1128/jb.116.2.893-900.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Johnson W., Elliott J. A., Helms C. M., Renner E. D. A high molecular weight antigen in Legionnaires' disease bacterium: isolation and partial characterization. Ann Intern Med. 1979 Apr;90(4):638–641. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-90-4-638. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Marshall K. C., Cruickshank R. H. Cell surface hydrophobicity and the orientation of certain bacteria at interfaces. Arch Mikrobiol. 1973 Apr 8;91(1):29–40. doi: 10.1007/BF00409536. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. McFeters G. A., Stuart S. A., Olson S. B. Growth of heterotrophic bacteria and algal extracellular products in oligotrophic waters. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1978 Feb;35(2):383–391. doi: 10.1128/aem.35.2.383-391.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Miller R. D., Morse S. A. Binding of progesterone to Neisseria gonorrhoeae and other gram-negative bacteria. Infect Immun. 1977 Apr;16(1):115–123. doi: 10.1128/iai.16.1.115-123.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Nikaido H. Outer membrane of Salmonella typhimurium. Transmembrane diffusion of some hydrophobic substances. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1976 Apr 16;433(1):118–132. doi: 10.1016/0005-2736(76)90182-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Paerl H. W. Detritus in lake tahoe: structural modification by attached microflora. Science. 1973 May 4;180(4085):496–498. doi: 10.1126/science.180.4085.496. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Ristroph J. D., Hedlund K. W., Allen R. G. Liquid medium for growth of Legionella pneumophila. J Clin Microbiol. 1980 Jan;11(1):19–21. doi: 10.1128/jcm.11.1.19-21.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Scott J. E., Quintarelli G., Dellovo M. C. The chemical and histochemical properties of Alcian Blue. I. The mechanism of Alcian Blue staining. Histochemie. 1964 Jul 17;4(2):73–85. doi: 10.1007/BF00306149. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Smith R. A., DiGiorgio S., Darner J., Wilhelm A. Detection of Legionella pneumophila capsular-like envelope antigens by counterimmunoelectrophoresis. J Clin Microbiol. 1981 Apr;13(4):637–642. doi: 10.1128/jcm.13.4.637-642.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Stotzky G. Activity, ecology, and population dynamics of microorganisms in soil. CRC Crit Rev Microbiol. 1972 Nov;2(1):59–137. doi: 10.3109/10408417209108383. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Tison D. L., Pope D. H., Cherry W. B., Fliermans C. B. Growth of Legionella pneumophila in association with blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). Appl Environ Microbiol. 1980 Feb;39(2):456–459. doi: 10.1128/aem.39.2.456-459.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES