Gram-positive bacteria are held at a distance in the colon mucus by the lectin-like protein ZG16.

ABSTRACT: The distal colon functions as a bioreactor and harbors an enormous amount of bacteria in a mutualistic relationship with the host. The microbiota have to be kept at a safe distance to prevent inflammation, something that is achieved by a dense inner mucus layer that lines the epithelial cells. The large polymeric nets made up by the heavily O-glycosylated MUC2 mucin forms this physical barrier. Proteomic analyses of mucus have identified the lectin-like protein ZG16 (zymogen granulae protein 16) as an abundant mucus component. To elucidate the function of ZG16, we generated recombinant ZG16 and studied Zg16^-/- mice. ZG16 bound to and aggregated Gram-positive bacteria via binding to the bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan. Zg16^-/- mice have a distal colon mucus layer wit

SUBMITTER: Bergstrom JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5137749 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature