CARBOHYDRATE INVOLVEMENT IN THE ASSOCIATION OF A PROKARYOTIC CELL WITH TRICHOMONAS-VAGINALIS AND TRITRICHOMONAS-FETUS

Previous studies have shown that Trichomonas vaginalis are capable of ingesting bacteria. This observation was confirmed in the present study and extended to Tritrichomonas foetus. Using a special strain of Escherichia coli grown under conditions that produced fimbriae presenting a lectin-like molecule recognizing mannose, we showed that the bacteria attached to and were ingested by trichomonads through a mechanism involving cell-to-cell recognition. Absence of the fimbriae or addition of alpha-methyl-D-mannoside to the interaction medium blocked attachment of the bacteria to the protozoa cell surface. Ingested bacteria were later digested within the cytoplasmic vacuole.