Ten autoaggregating vaginal Lactobacillus strains (five of these strains we
re selected among isolates from sows' vaginal swabs and the other five amon
g isolates from cows' vaginal swabs) were investigated for their ability to
bind type I collagen (Cn-I). All 10 autoaggregating strains in the range o
f A(570nm) readings 0.118-1.806 bound to immobilised Cn-I (at concentration
of 100 mug/ml) in wells of microtitre plates, however, Lactobacillus acido
philus SV31 was much more adherent than the rest of the tested strains. The
influence of culture medium on Cn-I binding was confirmed only in 50% of t
he tested strains when agar-grown cells bound significantly more Cn-I than
broth-grown cells. The specificity of the binding was confirmed since the C
n-I binding by lactobacilli was abolished after their preincubation with th
is protein. The effect of heparan sulphate and hyaluronic acid was tested o
n 5 vaginal strains displaying the best Cn-I binding in microtitre plates a
fter their cultivation on MRS agar plates. Both selected inhibitors signifi
cantly (P < 0.001 or P < 0.01) reduced Cn-I binding by the majority of stra
ins. The presence of the gene coding APF (aggregation-promoting factor) was
detected in seven strains (all five sows' and two cows' Lactobacillus stra
ins) by PCR.