Bacterial adherence to eucaryotic cells: isolation of lymphocyte-binding mutants

A procedure for obtaining bacterial mutants that bind to eucaryotic cells is described. This procedure takes advantage of the ability of the mutants to obtain a required nutrient from the eucaryotic cells. We used this procedure to isolate mutants of Escherichia coli that bind to mouse lymphocytes. We show that the mutants identify some immunoglobulin-bearing lymphocytes and some non-immunoglobulin-bearing lymphocytes.