Adhesion of Yersinia enterocolitica to human epithelial cell lines and to rabbit and human small intestinal tissue

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Abstract
In assays to determine adherence of Yersinia enterocolitica, virulence plasmid‐containing (pYV+) strains and strains of their plasmid‐cured (pYV−) derivatives adhered equally efficiently to HeLa cells and fetal intestinal epithelial INT 407 cells. Non‐pathogenic strains of Y. enterocolitica did not adhere. In contrast, pYV+ strains adhered more efficiently to rabbit and human intestine than did pYV−‐strains, as evaluated by an in vitro assay, measuring adhesion of radiolabeled bacteria to disks of intestinal tissue. Thus, even if pathogenic strains of Y. enterocolitica are able to adhere to cultured epithelial cell lines and intestinal tissue by means of chromosome‐encoded properties alone, properties encoded by the pYV plasmid significantly enhance and contribute to adhesion to intestinal tissue.