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Staphylococcus saprophyticus hemagglutinin binds fibronectin

S Gatermann1, H G Meyer

  • 1Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Medizinische Universität zu Lübeck, Germany.

Infection and Immunity
|October 1, 1994
PubMed

Insights

Staphylococcus saprophyticus hemagglutinin binds to fibronectin, a human protein. This suggests the hemagglutinin may function as a fibronectin receptor, aiding bacterial attachment during infections.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pathogenesis
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Bacterial attachment to host tissues is crucial for infection development.
  • Staphylococcus saprophyticus adheres to epithelial cells and causes hemagglutination.
  • The specific human target for S. saprophyticus hemagglutinin remains unidentified.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the human target of Staphylococcus saprophyticus hemagglutinin.
  • To investigate the role of hemagglutinin in bacterial adhesion to host tissues.

Main Methods:

  • Testing the binding of S. saprophyticus strains to immobilized fibronectin.
  • Using antibodies to inhibit bacterial binding and identify involved surface proteins.
  • Assessing the binding of purified hemagglutinin to fibronectin.

Main Results:

  • Hemagglutinating S. saprophyticus strains bind to fibronectin; non-hemagglutinating strains do not.
  • Antibody against hemagglutinin inhibited binding, while antibody against Ssp did not.
  • Purified hemagglutinin specifically bound fibronectin in a saturable manner.

Conclusions:

  • The hemagglutinin of S. saprophyticus likely functions as a fibronectin receptor in humans.
  • This interaction may mediate bacterial adherence to host tissues.
  • The fibronectin binding site on hemagglutinin differs from that of other pathogens.

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