Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 18 March 2005:
Vol. 307. no. 5716, pp. 1778 - 1781
DOI: 10.1126/science.1106469
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

Human Symbionts Use a Host-Like Pathway for Surface Fucosylation

Michael J. Coyne, Barbara Reinap, Martin M. Lee, Laurie E. Comstock*

The mammalian intestine harbors a beneficial microbiota numbering approximately 1012 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.

Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: lcomstock{at}channing.harvard.edu

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Chemoenzymatic synthesis of GDP-L-fucose and the Lewis X glycan derivatives.
W. Wang, T. Hu, P. A. Frantom, T. Zheng, B. Gerwe, D. S. del Amo, S. Garret, R. D. Seidel III, and P. Wu (2009)
PNAS 106, 16096-16101
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Coordinate Regulation of Glycan Degradation and Polysaccharide Capsule Biosynthesis by a Prominent Human Gut Symbiont.
E. C. Martens, R. Roth, J. E. Heuser, and J. I. Gordon (2009)
J. Biol. Chem. 284, 18445-18457
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis: a Rogue among Symbiotes.
C. L. Sears (2009)
Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 22, 349-369
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Remodeling bacterial polysaccharides by metabolic pathway engineering.
W. Yi, X. Liu, Y. Li, J. Li, C. Xia, G. Zhou, W. Zhang, W. Zhao, X. Chen, and P. G. Wang (2009)
PNAS 106, 4207-4212
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Genes and Molecules of Lactobacilli Supporting Probiotic Action.
S. Lebeer, J. Vanderleyden, and S. C. J. De Keersmaecker (2008)
Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 72, 728-764
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Role of glycan synthesis in colonization of the mammalian gut by the bacterial symbiont Bacteroides fragilis.
M. J. Coyne, M. Chatzidaki-Livanis, L. C. Paoletti, and L. E. Comstock (2008)
PNAS 105, 13099-13104
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A Bifunctional Enzyme with L-Fucokinase and GDP-L-fucose Pyrophosphorylase Activities Salvages Free L-Fucose in Arabidopsis.
T. Kotake, S. Hojo, N. Tajima, K. Matsuoka, T. Koyama, and Y. Tsumuraya (2008)
J. Biol. Chem. 283, 8125-8135
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
From the Cover: Regulation of surface architecture by symbiotic bacteria mediates host colonization.
C. H. Liu, S. M. Lee, J. M. VanLare, D. L. Kasper, and S. K. Mazmanian (2008)
PNAS 105, 3951-3956
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Expression of a Uniquely Regulated Extracellular Polysaccharide Confers a Large-Capsule Phenotype to Bacteroides fragilis.
M. Chatzidaki-Livanis, M. J. Coyne, H. Roche-Hakansson, and L. E. Comstock (2008)
J. Bacteriol. 190, 1020-1026
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Contribution of Fucose-Containing Capsules in Klebsiella pneumoniae to Bacterial Virulence in Mice.
J. H. Wu, A. M. Wu, C. G. Tsai, X.-Y. Chang, S.-F. Tsai, and T.-S. Wu (2008)
Exp Biol Med 233, 64-70
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Bacteroides: the Good, the Bad, and the Nitty-Gritty.
H. M. Wexler (2007)
Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 20, 593-621
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Bacterial symbionts induce a FUT2-dependent fucosylated niche on colonic epithelium via ERK and JNK signaling.
D. Meng, D. S. Newburg, C. Young, A. Baker, S. L. Tonkonogy, R. B. Sartor, W. A. Walker, and N. N. Nanthakumar (2007)
Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 293, G780-G787
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Aggregating Phenotype in Lactobacillus crispatus Determines Intestinal Colonization and TLR2 and TLR4 Modulation in Murine Colonic Mucosa.
S. Voltan, I. Castagliuolo, M. Elli, S. Longo, P. Brun, R. D'Inca, A. Porzionato, V. Macchi, G. Palu, G. C. Sturniolo, et al. (2007)
Clin. Vaccine Immunol. 14, 1138-1148
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Genomic and metabolic adaptations of Methanobrevibacter smithii to the human gut.
B. S. Samuel, E. E. Hansen, J. K. Manchester, P. M. Coutinho, B. Henrissat, R. Fulton, P. Latreille, K. Kim, R. K. Wilson, and J. I. Gordon (2007)
PNAS 104, 10643-10648
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Bacteroides fragilis toxin stimulates intestinal epithelial cell shedding and {gamma}-secretase-dependent E-cadherin cleavage.
S. Wu, K.-J. Rhee, M. Zhang, A. Franco, and C. L. Sears (2007)
J. Cell Sci. 120, 1944-1952
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Phase-variable expression of a family of glycoproteins imparts a dynamic surface to a symbiont in its human intestinal ecosystem.
C. M. Fletcher, M. J. Coyne, D. L. Bentley, O. F. Villa, and L. E. Comstock (2007)
PNAS 104, 2413-2418
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis Toxin in Caenorhabditis elegans from Loss of Fucose.
B. D. Barrows, S. M. Haslam, L. J. Bischof, H. R. Morris, A. Dell, and R. V. Aroian (2007)
J. Biol. Chem. 282, 3302-3311
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Functional Genomic and Metabolic Studies of the Adaptations of a Prominent Adult Human Gut Symbiont, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, to the Suckling Period.
M. K. Bjursell, E. C. Martens, and J. I. Gordon (2006)
J. Biol. Chem. 281, 36269-36279
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Identification of a Candidate Streptococcus pneumoniae Core Genome and Regions of Diversity Correlated with Invasive Pneumococcal Disease.
C. Obert, J. Sublett, D. Kaushal, E. Hinojosa, T. Barton, E. I. Tuomanen, and C. J. Orihuela (2006)
Infect. Immun. 74, 4766-4777
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Whole-Genome Transcription Profiling Reveals Genes Up-Regulated by Growth on Fucose in the Human Gut Bacterium "Roseburia inulinivorans".
K. P. Scott, J. C. Martin, G. Campbell, C.-D. Mayer, and H. J. Flint (2006)
J. Bacteriol. 188, 4340-4349
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A hybrid two-component system protein of a prominent human gut symbiont couples glycan sensing in vivo to carbohydrate metabolism.
E. D. Sonnenburg, J. L. Sonnenburg, J. K. Manchester, E. E. Hansen, H. C. Chiang, and J. I. Gordon (2006)
PNAS 103, 8834-8839
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)