ATTACHMENT OF SALMONELLA-CHOLERAESUIS CHOLERAESUIS TO BEEF MUSCLE ANDADIPOSE TISSUES

The attachment of Salmonella choleraesuis subsp. choleraesuis ATCC 157 90 to beef muscle and adipose tissues was investigated. S. choleraesui s was found to adhere in higher numbers to muscle than to fat. The cha rge and the hydrophobicity of the surface of S. choleraesuis were eval uated by measurement of electrophoretic mobility, the contact angle wi th water, adhesion to hexadecane, and hydrophobic interaction chromato graphy. The overall negative charge of S. choleraesuis was masked by t he high electrolyte concentration in the attachment medium (0.15 M pho sphate-buffered saline). This bacterium was shown to possess a hydroph ilic surface. Electrostatic interactions do not affect the attachment of S. choleraesuis to both lean and fat tissue, and there was no evide nce for a role of hydrophobic interactions. However, the attachment of S. choleraesuis was reduced by 90% after mechanical removal of the fl agella or after treatment of the bacteria with specific antiflagella s erum. This reduction was attributed to a loss of bacterial mobility le ading to a reduction in the number of cells reaching the tissue during the period of contact. Treatment of the tissue with a concentrated su spension of flagella or treatment of the bacteria with antisomatic ser um (OMD) did not reduce the attachment of S. choleraesuis to tissues, indicating an absence of specific attachment sites for flagella or ant igen O on the beef tissue surface.