| First Author | Cash HL | Year | 2006 |
| Journal | Science | Volume | 313 |
| Issue | 5790 | Pages | 1126-30 |
| PubMed ID | 16931762 | Mgi Jnum | J:241129 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5897756 | Doi | 10.1126/science.1127119 |
| Citation | Cash HL, et al. (2006) Symbiotic bacteria direct expression of an intestinal bactericidal lectin. Science 313(5790):1126-30 |
| abstractText | The mammalian intestine harbors complex societies of beneficial bacteria that are maintained in the lumen with minimal penetration of mucosal surfaces. Microbial colonization of germ-free mice triggers epithelial expression of RegIIIgamma, a secreted C-type lectin. RegIIIgamma binds intestinal bacteria but lacks the complement recruitment domains present in other microbe-binding mammalian C-type lectins. We show that RegIIIgamma and its human counterpart, HIP/PAP, are directly antimicrobial proteins that bind their bacterial targets via interactions with peptidoglycan carbohydrate. We propose that these proteins represent an evolutionarily primitive form of lectin-mediated innate immunity, and that they reveal intestinal strategies for maintaining symbiotic host-microbial relationships. |
