Adhesion of Vibrio tapetis to clam cells

The adhesive properties of Vibrio tapetis, the causative agent of the brown ring disease affecting cultured clams, were determined considering both th e contribution of bacterial surface hydrophobicity and the attachment capab ility to different animal cells. Hydrophobicity of V. tapetis strains was e valuated by means of three different methods, most of the strains being hig hly hydrophobic for any of the methods used. V. tapetis showed higher adhes ion capability toward the clam cells used (hemocytes and mantle cells), as compared to several fish cell lines. No significant relationship was obtain ed between hydrophobicity and cell adhesion, which suggests the existence o f adhesion-specific mechanisms. Tn addition, different bacterial structures were investigated as potential adhesins of V. tapetis, including hemagglut inins, pill, flagella, and outer membrane proteins.