The outer mucus layer hosts a distinct intestinal microbial niche

Hai Li, Julien P. Limenitakis, Tobias Fuhrer, Markus B. Geuking, Melissa A. Lawson, Madeleine Wyss, Sandrine Brugiroux, Irene Keller, Jamie A. Macpherson, Sandra Rupp, Bettina Stolp, Jens V. Stein, Bärbel Stecher, Uwe Sauer, Kathy D. McCoy and Andrew J. Macpherson ()
Additional contact information
Hai Li: Maurice Müller Laboratories (DKF), Universitätsklinik für Viszerale Chirurgie und Medizin Inselspital, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 35
Julien P. Limenitakis: Maurice Müller Laboratories (DKF), Universitätsklinik für Viszerale Chirurgie und Medizin Inselspital, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 35
Tobias Fuhrer: Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich
Markus B. Geuking: Maurice Müller Laboratories (DKF), Universitätsklinik für Viszerale Chirurgie und Medizin Inselspital, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 35
Melissa A. Lawson: Maurice Müller Laboratories (DKF), Universitätsklinik für Viszerale Chirurgie und Medizin Inselspital, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 35
Madeleine Wyss: Maurice Müller Laboratories (DKF), Universitätsklinik für Viszerale Chirurgie und Medizin Inselspital, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 35
Sandrine Brugiroux: Max-von-Pettenkofer Institute, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF)
Irene Keller: Maurice Müller Laboratories (DKF), Universitätsklinik für Viszerale Chirurgie und Medizin Inselspital, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 35
Jamie A. Macpherson: Maurice Müller Laboratories (DKF), Universitätsklinik für Viszerale Chirurgie und Medizin Inselspital, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 35
Sandra Rupp: Maurice Müller Laboratories (DKF), Universitätsklinik für Viszerale Chirurgie und Medizin Inselspital, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 35
Bettina Stolp: Theodor Kocher Institute, Freiestrasse 1, University of Bern
Jens V. Stein: Theodor Kocher Institute, Freiestrasse 1, University of Bern
Bärbel Stecher: Max-von-Pettenkofer Institute, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF)
Uwe Sauer: Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich
Kathy D. McCoy: Maurice Müller Laboratories (DKF), Universitätsklinik für Viszerale Chirurgie und Medizin Inselspital, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 35
Andrew J. Macpherson: Maurice Müller Laboratories (DKF), Universitätsklinik für Viszerale Chirurgie und Medizin Inselspital, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 35

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract The overall composition of the mammalian intestinal microbiota varies between individuals: within each individual there are differences along the length of the intestinal tract related to host nutrition, intestinal motility and secretions. Mucus is a highly regenerative protective lubricant glycoprotein sheet secreted by host intestinal goblet cells; the inner mucus layer is nearly sterile. Here we show that the outer mucus of the large intestine forms a unique microbial niche with distinct communities, including bacteria without specialized mucolytic capability. Bacterial species present in the mucus show differential proliferation and resource utilization compared with the same species in the intestinal lumen, with high recovery of bioavailable iron and consumption of epithelial-derived carbon sources according to their genome-encoded metabolic repertoire. Functional competition for existence in this intimate layer is likely to be a major determinant of microbiota composition and microbial molecular exchange with the host.

Date: 2015
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms9292 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms9292

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9292

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().