Understanding Bacterial Adhesion: Tailor-made Glycosylated Surfaces Reveal Molecular Details of Adhesion Processes

摘要

All cells are covered by a glycocalyx, a 'sweet coating', that serves different functions and is made up by complex glycoconjugates of variable architecture. In eukaryotic cells it plays a key role in cell communication and cell adhesion and expands to 100 (mu)m width or even more. The glycocalyx and its molecular composition vary depending on the cell type and its developmental and health status. Thus, cancer cells often exhibit an especially thin or even disrupted glycocalyx. The sugar coating also serves as attachment site for microbial adhesion such as in bacterial colonization. It depends on the tissue type on the one hand and the type of bacteria on the other whether or not bacterial adhesion causes a problem for the host. It can be a synergistic advantage like Escherichia coli colonization of the bowel or it might lead to inflammation, apoptosis, or even problems such as peptic ulcer [1]. Thus, investigation of the mechanisms of bacterial adhesion is an important research field to promote our understanding of its consequences in health and disease.