ADHESIN-RECEPTOR INTERACTIONS IN PASTEURELLACEAE

The ability of bacteria to adhere to mucosal epithelium is dependent o n the expression of adhesive molecules or structures, called adhesins, that allow attachment of the organisms to complementary molecules on mucosal surfaces, the receptors. Important human and animal pathogens are found among the Pasteurellaceae family which includes Haemophilus, Actinobacillus, and Pasteurella organisms. The purpose of this paper is to review the adhesin-receptor systems found in Pasteurellaceae, wi th an emphasis on recent developments in this specific area. Most of t hese organisms can employ multiple molecular mechanisms of adherence ( or multiple adhesins) to initiate infection. Indeed, a wide variety of adhesins are expressed by members of the Pasteurellaceae, and differe nt proteins (e.g. fimbriae, fibrils, outer membrane proteins) as well as polysaccharides (lipooligosaccharides, lipopolysaccharides, capsula r polysaccharides) were clearly shown to play an important role in adh erence. In many instances, these adhesins have proved to represent goo d vaccine candidates. Surprisingly, the receptors on host mucosal surf aces have yet been identified in very few cases. (C) 1998 Federation o f European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B. V.