Pathogenic intestinal bacteria – adhesion and niche competition

Pathogenic intestinal bacteria adhesion and niche competition represent a critical biological interface where enteric pathogens interact with the host epithelium and resident microbiota. Adhesion is the initial step of pathogenesis, where bacteria utilize specialized surface proteins called adhesins to bind to host cell receptors, facilitating colonization and toxin delivery (Ribet & Cossart, 2015, PubMed: 25541216). Niche competition, or colonization resistance, is the process by which commensal microbes prevent pathogen overgrowth by competing for limited nutrients and physical space within the gut (Buffie & Pamer, 2013, PubMed: 23663784). Therapeutic interventions targeting these mechanisms aim to either block bacterial attachment using anti-adhesion molecules or restore the competitive balance through probiotics and fecal microbiota transplants. For example, small molecule inhibitors like sibofimloc target the FimH adhesin on E. coli to prevent inflammation in Crohn's disease (Enterome, 2024). Understanding these interactions is vital for developing non-antibiotic strategies to combat gastrointestinal infections and dysbiosis-related disorders.

Other names

Colonization resistanceBacterial attachmentCompetitive exclusionMicrobial interferenceBacterial adhesion

Competitive exclusion, physical blocking of epithelial receptors, nutrient sequestration, production of antimicrobial bacteriocins, and pharmacological inhibition of bacterial adhesins.