A 20-kDa pilus protein with haemagglutination and intestinal adherence properties expressed by a clinical isolate of non-01 Vibrio cholerae

A clinical isolate of non-01 V. cholerae (10325) was shown to exhibit higher haemagglutination and intestinal adherence activities in vitro when grown in enriched media, such as trypticase soy broth (TSB) as compared to those of cells grown in a synthetic Tris-buffered or ‘T’-medium. A comparison of their cell-surface protein and lipopolysaccharide profiles suggested the involvement of a 20-kDa protein in the cellular adherence process. An antiserum, raised specifically against the 20-kDa protein, recognised pilus structures on the surface of TSB grown cells. Further studies showed that the pilus was morphologically as well as antigenically distinct from toxin coregulated pilus (TCP) or other types of pili expressed by both 01 and non-01 organisms. Inhibition data established the involvement of the 20-kDa protein in haemagglutination as well as intestinal tissue adherence activities of the parent organism.