Peptidoglycan-Chi3l1 interaction shapes gut microbiota in intestinal mucus layer.

ABSTRACT: The balanced gut microbiota in intestinal mucus layer plays an instrumental role in the health of the host. However, the mechanisms by which the host regulates microbial communities in the mucus layer remain largely unknown. Here, we discovered that the host regulates bacterial colonization in the gut mucus layer by producing a protein called Chitinase 3-like protein 1 (Chi3l1). Intestinal epithelial cells are stimulated by the gut microbiota to express Chi3l1. Once expressed, Chi3l1 is secreted into the mucus layer where it interacts with the gut microbiota, specifically through a component of bacterial cell walls called peptidoglycan. This interaction between Chi3l1 and bacteria is beneficial for the colonization of bacteria in the mucus, particularly for Gram-positive bacteria like L

SUBMITTER: Chen Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11458176 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature