Mediation of Staphylococcal Adherence to Mucosal Cells by Lipoteichoic Acid

Staphylococcal lipoteichoic acid markedly reduced adherence by Staphylococcus aureus to buccal cells in vitro, suggesting that lipoteichoic acid mediates adherence by that bacterium. Adherence inhibition by lipoteichoic acid was lost after deacylation of the preparation, suggesting that fatty acids on the molecule are essential to binding.