Direct evidence that the FimH protein is the mannose-specific adhesin of Escherichia coli type 1 fimbriae

Abstract

Type 1 fimbriae of Escherichia coli are surface organelles which mediate binding to D-mannose-containing structures. By direct binding of FimH to D-mannose attached to a carrier protein, we demonstrated that this protein was uniquely responsible for the receptor specificity. Furthermore, we show by receptor immunoelectron microscopy that the FimH protein is located laterally in the structure of the type 1 fimbriae.