Adhesion of Escherichia coli to HeLa cells mediated by Trypanosoma cruzi surface clycoprotein-derived peptides inserted in the outer membrane proteinLamB

Peptides derived from the surface glycoprotein gp82 of Trypanosoma cruzi, p reviously implicated in the parasite's invasion of host cells, were express ed as fusions to the protein LamB of Escherichia coli in a region known to be exposed on the cell surface, Bacteria expressing these proteins adhered to HeLa cells in a manner that mimics the pattern of parasite invasion of m ammalian cells, Purified LamB fusion proteins were shown to bind to HeLa ce lls and to inhibit infection by T. cruzi, supporting the notion that these gp82-derived peptides can mediate interaction of the parasite with its host .