Detection of glycoprotein receptors on blotting membranes by binding of live bacteria and amplification by growth.

Conditions have been adapted for detecting bacteria bound to glycoprotein receptors on blotting membranes using a self-enhancing detection method based on bacterial growth. Neutrophil plasma membrane proteins, mediating adherence of mannose-binding type-1-fimbriated Escherichia coli and concanavalin A (Con A) to intact human neutrophils, were separated by SDS-PAGE and transferred onto a polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membrane. The PVDF membrane was immersed in a suspension of mannose-binding type-1-fimbriated E. coli, and after repeated washings, bound bacteria were allowed to multiply into bacterial colonies by placing the membrane on a solid nutrient substratum. About one major and eight minor glycoproteins, some of which also were detected by Con A, selectively induced colony formation in a mannose-inhibitable fashion. Binding of [35S]methionine metabolically labeled E. coli to PVDF membranes produced a virtually identical binding pattern, demonstrating further the accuracy of this self-enhancing detection method which is rapid, simple, and sensitive and avoids radioisotopes.