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How bacteria stick to the gut
Scientists have obtained the first crystal (three-dimensional) structure of a mucus-binding protein (MUB) from a strain of Lactobacillus reuteri. They also found that these proteins recognise immunoglobulins, which participate in our immune defence. This knowledge can help to explain how the bacteria stick to the mucus layer in the gastrointestinal tract and enable it to maintain normal gut function.
Mucus adhesion has been well studied for pathogens but it is not yet known how beneficial bacteria bind to the mucus.