Human symbionts use a host-like pathway for surface fucosylation.
The mammalian intestine harbors a beneficial microbiota numbering approximately 10(12) organisms per gram of colonic content. The host tolerates this tremendous bacterial load while maintaining the ability to efficiently respond to pathogenic organisms. In this study, we show that the Bacteroides use a mammalian-like pathway to decorate numerous surface capsular polysaccharides and glycoproteins with l-fucose, an abundant surface molecule of intestinal epithelial cells, resulting in the coordinated expression of this surface molecule by host and symbiont. A Bacteroides mutant deficient in the ability to cover its surface with L-fucose is defective in colonizing the mammalian intestine under competitive conditions.
Coyne
Michael J
MJ
Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Reinap
Barbara
B
Lee
Martin M
MM
Comstock
Laurie E
LE
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D001441:Bacteroides fragilis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005643:Fucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006153:Guanosine Diphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006836:Hydro-Lyases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D051379:Mice; D018716:Molecular Mimicry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013559:Symbiosis
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006153:Guanosine Diphosphate; D005643:Fucose; C023078:GDPfucose synthetase; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor); C020153:fucokinase; C422948:GDP-D-mannose dehydratase, bacteria; D006836:Hydro-Lyases