2015/05/21 by Salvador Almagro‐Moreno, Kali M. Pruss, Ronald K. Taylor · 3 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Vibrio bacteria research studies #Escherichia coli research studies #Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
paper · pdf · doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1004787
openalex publication_date 2015/05/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
To cause the diarrheal disease cholera, Vibrio cholerae must effectively colonize the small intestine. In order to do so, the bacterium needs to successfully travel through the stomach and withstand the presence of agents such as bile and antimicrobial peptides in the intestinal lumen and mucus. The bacterial cells penetrate the viscous mucus layer covering the epithelium and attach and proliferate on its surface. In this review, we discuss recent developments and known aspects of the early stages of V. cholerae intestinal colonization and highlight areas that remain to be fully understood. We propose mechanisms and postulate a model that covers some of the steps that are required in order for the bacterium to efficiently colonize the human host. A deeper understanding of the colonization dynamics of V. cholerae and other intestinal pathogens will provide us with a variety of novel targets and strategies to avoid the diseases caused by these organisms.