Attachment of Salmonella choleraesuis choleraesuis to beef muscle and adipose tissues.

The attachment of Salmonella choleraesuis subsp. choleraesuis ATCC 15790 to beef muscle and adipose tissues was investigated. S. choleraesuis was found to adhere in higher numbers to muscle than to fat. The charge and the hydrophobicity of the surface of S. choleraesuis were evaluated by measurement of electrophoretic mobility, the contact angle with water, adhesion to hexadecane, and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The overall negative charge of S. choleraesuis was masked by the high electrolyte concentration in the attachment medium (0.15 M phosphate-buffered saline). This bacterium was shown to possess a hydrophilic surface. Electrostatic interactions do not affect the attachment of S. choleraesuis to both lean and fat tissue, and there was no evidence for a role of hydrophobic interactions. However, the attachment of S. choleraesuis was reduced by 90% after mechanical removal of the flagella or after treatment of the bacteria with specific antiflagella serum. This reduction was attributed to a loss of bacterial mobility leading to a reduction in the number of cells reaching the tissue during the period of contact. Treatment of the tissue with a concentrated suspension of flagella or treatment of the bacteria with antisomatic serum (OMD) did not reduce the attachment of S. choleraesuis to tissues, indicating an absence of specific attachment sites for flagella or antigen O on the beef tissue surface.