Mucin-binding adhesins: A key to unlocking the door of mutualism

From corals to mammals, mucus is a conserved feature that prevents microbes from accessing the surfaces that produce it. However, interactions between mucus and microbes remain poorly understood. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Smith et al. unveil that mucus binding by bacteria is crucial for host-microbe symbiosis. From corals to mammals, mucus is a conserved feature that prevents microbes from accessing the surfaces that produce it. However, interactions between mucus and microbes remain poorly understood. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Smith et al. unveil that mucus binding by bacteria is crucial for host-microbe symbiosis. A mucin-regulated adhesin determines the spatial organization and inflammatory character of a bacterial symbiont in the vertebrate gutSmith et al.Cell Host & MicrobeJuly 28, 2023In BriefThe mechanisms that resident microbes use to influence host health are underexplored. Smith et al. report a zebrafish symbiont, Aeromonas, that uses a mucin-regulated adhesin to control its inflammatory character and spatial organization in the gut. Functionally analogous Akkermansia adhesins suggest that similar microbial mechanisms underlie human gut health. Full-Text PDF