Serum albumin, bovine adherent cells

Plant and other lectins have the ability to adhere strongly to microbial cell surfaces and lectins are responsible for the adhesion of Rhizobim trifotii to root hair cells of clover. Discovery of lectins which will bind other microbes may lead to the use of lectins as bridging agents to bind cells to inert support materials. Fletcher (83) studied the effects of proteins on the adhesion of a marine Pseudomonas sp. to polystyrene Petri dishes. Bovine serum albumin, gelatin, fibrinogen and pepsin (pKj — 5.8) all inhibit attachment at pH 7.6 when present either prior to or concurrently with the microbial cells. Bovine serum albumin decreased the adhesion of previously attached cells. 

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