This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tamplin, M L Articles by Fisher, W S Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tamplin, M L Articles by Fisher, W S Agricola Articles by Tamplin, M L Articles by Fisher, W S

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 November; 55(11): 2882-2887

Occurrence and characteristics of agglutination of Vibrio cholerae by serum from the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica.

Fishery Research Branch, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Dauphin Island, Alabama 36528.

ABSTRACT

Cell-free hemolymph (serum) of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, agglutinated Vibrio cholerae, including all O1 serovars and biovars. Seventy-nine other strains of bacteria, including 14 genera and 26 species, were not agglutinated. The A, B, and C factors of O1 antigen were not involved in agglutination. Bacterial agglutinating (BA) activity was demonstrated for oysters inhabiting different environments of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Oyster serum BA titers showed high individual variation. The serum component(s) involved in BA was inhibited by 80 degrees C heat, pronase, EDTA, mucin, and fetuin treatments. N-Acetylneuraminic acid (10 mg/ml) weakly inhibited BA activity. Ligands of V. cholerae were sensitive to neuraminidase and resistant to 80 degrees C and pronase. High salinities (24 and 30%) enhanced BA. Cross-adsorption tests with V. cholerae and human O+ erythrocytes indicated that BA and hemagglutinating activities may involve different serum components. These results imply that the ecology of V. cholerae in C. virginica is influenced by agglutinating activity of oyster serum.