ROLE OF GLYCOCONJUGATES IN ADHERENCE OF SALMONELLA-PULLORUM TO THE INTESTINAL EPITHELIUM OF CHICKS

1. The distribution of glycoconjugates on the surface of Salmonella pu llorum and the ileal epithelium of chicks was demonstrated by lectin c ytochemistry. The role of glycoconjugates in adherence of S. pullorum to the ileal epithelium was determined by a sugar inhibition assay usi ng the scanning electron microscope. 2. S. pullorum exhibited binding to Concanavalin A (Con A) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) but not to s oyabean agglutinin (SBA), Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA) and Ulex e uropaeus agglutinin (UEA). 3. The ileal epithelium of chicks bound WGA , Con A and SBA. The binding sites for WGA were on the brush border an d cytoplasm of columnar enterocytes as well as on goblet cells. The bi nding of Con A was confined to the cytoplasm of columnar enterocytes, while SBA bound, in a limited way, to the brush border of columnar ent erocytes. 4. After an oral dose of S. pullorum, adherence to the ileal epithelium was inhibited by methyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside.