Adherence is often an essential step in bacterial pathogenesis or infection, required for colonizing a new host.^[1] To effectively adhere to host surfaces, many bacteria produce multiple adherence factors called adhesins. For example, nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae expresses the adhesins Hia, Hap, Oap and a hemagglutinating pili.

Adhesins are attractive vaccine candidates because they are often essential to infection and are surface-located, making them readily accessible to antibodies.

The effectiveness of anti-adhesin antibodies is illustrated by studies with FimH, the adhesin of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). In animal models, passive immunization with anti FimH-antibodies and vaccination with the protein significantly reduced colonization by UPEC.^[2] Moreover, the Bordetella pertussis adhesins FHA and pertactin are components of 3 of the 4 acellular pertussis vaccines currently licensed for use in the U.S.

[edit] References

Adhesins are also used in cell communication, and bind to surface communicators. Can also be used to bind to other bacteria.

[edit] External links

• MeSH Bacterial+Adhesin

This cell biology article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e