title: A nitrate reductase-based colorimetric assay for the study of bacterial adherence.
abstract: Washed intact cells of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, grown under partial anaerobic conditions in nitrate media, reduced nitrate quantitatively when formate was used as a reducing substrate. Nitrate reductase was applied as an index for bacterial adherence to different target surfaces including uroepithelial cells, HeLa cells and fibrin clots. Nitrate reduction by adhered as well as control cells was determined by quantitative diazotization reaction for nitrite. Variations in the conditions which affect adherence gave rise to corresponding variations in the nitrate reduction index from which bacterial adherence can be conveniently determined under these conditions. This method is simple, reproducible and easy to perform in a short time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics and Microbiology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Shoeb
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Tawfik
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Shibl
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003124:Colorimetry; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000382:microbiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D050901:Nitrate Reductase; D009565:Nitrate Reductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D009565:Nitrate Reductases; D050901:Nitrate Reductase