Production of mucinase and neuraminidase and binding of Shigella to intestinal mucin.

Production of mucinase and neuraminidase by Shigella spp. and their ability to bind to mucin was investigated. All four species of Shigella produced these enzymes. Virulent and avirulent pairs of Shigella did not differ in their ability to produce the enzymes after 18 h of growth. However, a significant difference in neuraminidase production was noted in Shigella dysenteriae type 1 and S. boydii (12-15) at 10 h growth. Avirulent strains of S. dysenteriae type 1, S. flexneri 2a, and S. boydii bound significantly more amounts of mucin than their virulent counterparts.