Bacteroides loeschei PK1295 cells express two distinct adhesins simultaneously

Bacteroides loeschei synthesizes two distinct adhesins that mediate its coaggregation with Streptococcus sanguis 34 and Actinomyces israeli PK14. Streptococcal adhesin-specific and actinomyces adhesin-specific monoclonal antibodies were used to prepare antibody-coated 5- or 10-nm gold particles. These were used in immunoelectron microscopic studies to establish that essentially all bacteroides cells in a population express both adhesins. In general, the two sizes of gold particles representing each type of adhesin appeared to be spatially separated on neighboring fimbriae of B. loeschei. Deposition of antibody-coated gold particles, representing both types of adhesin, at or near the same fimbria was observed less frequently.