Serratia marcescens adherence: the effect of O-antigen presence.

The presence of O-antigen affects the adhesion of Serratia marcescens cells to inert and biological surfaces. Mutants defective in the O-side chain showed significant decreases in their ability to adhere to plastic and glass surfaces and to the surfaces of Foley urinary catheters, compared with their respective parental strains. Similar results were obtained when the ability to adhere human uroepithelial cells was tested.

Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of a gene encoding proline oxidase of Serratia marcescens.

Proline plays a central role in the biosynthesis of prodigiosin by Serratia marcescens. Proline catabolism takes place by oxidation catalysed by the enzyme proline oxidase encoded by the gene putA. A gene bank of chromosomal DNA from S.