Role of glycan synthesis in colonization of the mammalian gut by the bacterial symbiont Bacteroides fragilis.

ABSTRACT: Bacteroides species are the most abundant Gram-negative bacteria of the human colonic microbiota. These endogenous organisms are unique in that they synthesize an extensive number of phase-variable surface polysaccharides. Pathogenic bacteria phase vary expression of surface molecules for immune evasion, but the importance of the synthesis of multiple phase-variable polysaccharides to these commensal bacteria is unknown. We previously showed that a Bacteroides fragilis mutant unable to synthesize 4 of the 8 capsular polysaccharides and unable to glycosylate proteins properly is rapidly outcompeted by the wild-type strain for colonization of the gnotobiotic mouse intestine. In the present study, we constructed mutants defective only in capsule polysaccharide synthesis to define better the i

SUBMITTER: Coyne MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2529095 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature