The invasion of HeLa cells by Salmonella typhimurium: reversible and irreversible bacterial attachment and the role of bacterial motility

Abstract

The interactions which brought about the invasion of HeLa cells by Salmonella typhimurium consisted of a sequence of three phases. Initially, the motility of the bacteria facilitated their contact with the HeLa cells whereupon the bacteria became attached in a reversible manner (i.e. the bacteria could be removed readily by washing the HeLa cell monolayers with Hanks' Balanced Salt solution). The binding forces responsible for reversible attachment were probably the weak long-range forces of the secondary minimum level of attractive interactions between the bacterium and the HeLa cell. Reversible attachment was a necessary interlude before the bacteria became irreversibly attached to the surfaces of the HeLa cells (i.e. the bacteria were no longer removed by the washing procedure that removed the reversibly attached salmonellae). Irreversible attachment was prevented in solutions of low ionic strength; the forces responsible were probably those of the primary minimum generated between the HeLa cell and a bacterial adhesion which was capable of acting over only short distances between the reversibly attached bacterium and the HeLa cell (i.e. probably less than 15 nm). Only irreversibly attached bacteria proceeded to the third phase and were internalized by the HeLa cells.