Identification of glycosphingolipid binding sites for SEF21-fimbriated Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis in chicken oviductal mucosa

In order to clarify the presence of glycosphingolipids (GSLs) receptors for Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis with SEF21 fimbriae, we analyzed neutral GSLs and gangliosides from chicken oviductal mucosa and investigated the binding of bacteria to neutral GSLs and gangliosides. Five types of neutral GSLs, designated as N-1 to N-5, and two types of gangliosides, designated as G-1 and G-2, were identified on the thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plates. In the bacterial binding assay on TLC, the fimbriated bacteria bound only to glucosylceramide (GlcCer) standard, N-1 having the same TLC mobility as GlcCer, GM3 standard and G-1 corresponding to GM3 in TLC mobility, but not to N-2, N-3, N-4, N-5, or G-2. These results suggest the presence of GlcCer (N-1) and ganglioside GM3 (G-1) on the epithelial surface of chicken oviductal tract which act as sites for adherence of SEF21-fimbriated S. Enteritidis.