The intestinal tract faces numerous challenges that require several layers of defence. The
tight epithelium forms a physical barrier that is further protected by a mucus layer, which …

The colon mucus layer is organized with an inner colon mucus layer that is impenetrable to
bacteria and an outer mucus layer that is expanded to allow microbiota colonization. A major …

Biogeography is the study of species distribution and diversity within an ecosystem and is at
the core of how we understand ecosystem dynamics and interactions at the macroscale. In …

Intestinal mucus forms the first line of defense against bacterial invasion while providing
nutrition to support microbial symbiosis. How the host controls mucus barrier integrity and …

INTRODUCTION An intricate balance with our intestinal microbes is pivotal to human health.
A key interface of host-microbial interactions occurs in the mucus that covers the intestinal …

Microorganisms colonize various ecological niches in the human habitat, as they do in
nature. Predominant forms of multicellular communities called biofilms colonize human …

Abstract The mucin2 (MUC2) mucus barrier acts as the first barrier that prevents direct
contact between intestinal bacteria and colonic epithelial cells. Bacterial factors related to …

The human intestinal microbiome has coevolved with its host to establish a stable
homeostatic relationship with hallmark features of mutualistic symbioses, yet the mechanistic …

Protein posttranslational modifications (PTMs) refer to the breaking or generation of covalent
bonds on the backbones or amino acid side chains of proteins and expand the diversity of …

The intestinal tract is an ecosystem in which the resident microbiota lives in symbiosis with
its host. This symbiotic relationship is key to maintaining overall health, with dietary habits of …