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Macrophages recognize and adhere to an OmpD-like protein of Salmonella typhimurium

R S Negm1, T G Pistole

  • 1Department of Microbiology, University of New Hampshire, Durham 03824-2617, USA. robert.negm@unh.edu

Insights

Salmonella typhimurium outer membrane protein (OMP) mediates macrophage adhesion. This 44-kDa OMP, identified as OmpD, is crucial for bacterial recognition by macrophages during infection.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Bacterial Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Murine peritoneal macrophages exhibit in vitro binding to Salmonella typhimurium without external opsonins.
  • This adhesion suggests a direct interaction mediated by bacterial surface components.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the specific outer membrane protein of S. typhimurium responsible for macrophage adhesion.
  • To characterize the role of this protein in the initial stages of bacterial-macrophage interaction.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized biotin-labeled macrophages to probe S. typhimurium envelope proteins separated by SDS-PAGE.
  • Purified the identified 44-kDa outer membrane protein.
  • Performed microsequencing and compared the resulting peptide sequence to known bacterial proteins.
  • Assessed the inhibitory effect of the purified protein on bacterial adherence to macrophage monolayers.

Main Results:

  • Macrophages specifically bound to a 44-kDa outer membrane protein of S. typhimurium.
  • Microsequencing revealed the protein's identity as OmpD, sharing homology with E. coli OmpC.
  • Purified OmpD inhibited S. typhimurium adherence to macrophages at picomolar concentrations.

Conclusions:

  • A 44-kDa outer membrane protein, OmpD, mediates the adhesion of S. typhimurium to murine macrophages.
  • This protein plays a significant role in the initial recognition of S. typhimurium by macrophages.
  • OmpD is a key factor in the early stages of S. typhimurium infection.

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