Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens01:31

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
Microbial Interactions: Parasitism01:22

Microbial Interactions: Parasitism

Parasitism is a form of microbial interaction in which parasitic microbes exploit a host organism for nutrients and shelter, often at the host's expense. Unlike mutualistic relationships, where both organisms benefit, parasitism benefits only the parasite and harms the host.Classification of ParasitesMicrobial parasites are broadly classified based on their location relative to the host.Ectoparasites remain on the host’s surface, such as the skin or outer tissues, drawing nutrients...
Colonisation of Pathogens01:25

Colonisation of Pathogens

Pathogen colonization of host tissues is a critical step in the development of infectious diseases. Various pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, have evolved complex strategies to attach to, invade, and persist within host environments. These mechanisms enable pathogens to establish infections, evade immune responses, and resist antimicrobial treatments.Attachment to Host CellsIn bacteria, colonization typically begins with adherence to host epithelial...
Dysbiosis of the Gut Microbiota01:18

Dysbiosis of the Gut Microbiota

The human gut microbiome includes a diverse array of microbial species, including beneficial commensals and opportunistic pathogens, which interact to support host health. These microbes contribute to essential functions such as nutrient metabolism, immune system modulation, and maintenance of intestinal barrier integrity. However, disruptions to this equilibrium—referred to as dysbiosis—can have widespread physiological consequences.Dysbiosis is often characterized by reduced microbial...
Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics01:21

Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics

Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine by saving countless lives from bacterial infections. However, their widespread use has inadvertently harmed the delicate balance of the human gut microbiota. The gut microbiota, a complex community of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, plays a vital role in regulating metabolism, immune responses, and maintaining intestinal health. Antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum types, disrupt this ecosystem by eradicating both harmful and beneficial...
Transduction01:16

Transduction

Among the three main modes of HGT—transformation, conjugation, and transduction—transduction is unique in that it is mediated by bacteriophages, or bacterial viruses.Transduction occurs in two ways. Generalized transduction occurs during the lytic cycle of a bacteriophage infection. In this process, bacteriophages infect bacterial cells, replicate within them, and ultimately cause cell lysis, releasing newly assembled virions. Occasionally, random fragments of the bacterial genome are...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The gut microbiota directs vitamin A flux to regulate intestinal T cell development.

Cell host & microbe·2026
Same author

<i>Salmonella</i> lipopolysaccharide stimulates uptake of long-chain fatty acids in the small intestine.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids mediate Candida albicans gastrointestinal colonization resistance.

Cell host & microbe·2026
Same author

Epithelial sensing of vitamin A shapes intestinal antimicrobial defense.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

A single-cell atlas of intestinal immune cells across the day-night cycle reveals dynamic populations.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Timing of immune checkpoint blockade shapes anti-tumor immunity via a clock-dependent chemokine axis.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same journal

Waterborne diseases and climate change.

Nature reviews. Microbiology·2026
Same journal

Climate adaptation and biodiversity shape West Nile virus risk in cities.

Nature reviews. Microbiology·2026
Same journal

Climate factors and evolution drive cholera surges in Dhaka.

Nature reviews. Microbiology·2026
Same journal

Climate change boosts Salmonella antimicrobial resistance.

Nature reviews. Microbiology·2026
Same journal

Reframing risk assessment for malaria elimination in a changing climate.

Nature reviews. Microbiology·2026
Same journal

Bacterial vesicles protect the membrane during polymyxin stress.

Nature reviews. Microbiology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Induction of Intestinal Inflammation by Adoptive Transfer of CBir1 TCR Transgenic CD4+ T Cells to Immunodeficient Mice
07:34

Induction of Intestinal Inflammation by Adoptive Transfer of CBir1 TCR Transgenic CD4+ T Cells to Immunodeficient Mice

Published on: December 16, 2021

Do symbiotic bacteria subvert host immunity?

Lora V Hooper1

  • 1Department of Immunology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA. lora.hooper@utsouthwestern.edu

Nature Reviews. Microbiology
|April 17, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The mammalian gut hosts complex bacterial communities that form beneficial symbiotic relationships. This article explores how the immune system is suppressed, subverted, or evaded to maintain these crucial host-bacterial associations.

More Related Videos

Injections of Lipopolysaccharide into Mice to Mimic Entrance of Microbial-derived Products After Intestinal Barrier Breach
08:24

Injections of Lipopolysaccharide into Mice to Mimic Entrance of Microbial-derived Products After Intestinal Barrier Breach

Published on: May 2, 2018

Immunometabolic Circuits in Infection for Advancing Host Directed Therapies
11:12

Immunometabolic Circuits in Infection for Advancing Host Directed Therapies

Published on: September 13, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Induction of Intestinal Inflammation by Adoptive Transfer of CBir1 TCR Transgenic CD4+ T Cells to Immunodeficient Mice
07:34

Induction of Intestinal Inflammation by Adoptive Transfer of CBir1 TCR Transgenic CD4+ T Cells to Immunodeficient Mice

Published on: December 16, 2021

Injections of Lipopolysaccharide into Mice to Mimic Entrance of Microbial-derived Products After Intestinal Barrier Breach
08:24

Injections of Lipopolysaccharide into Mice to Mimic Entrance of Microbial-derived Products After Intestinal Barrier Breach

Published on: May 2, 2018

Immunometabolic Circuits in Infection for Advancing Host Directed Therapies
11:12

Immunometabolic Circuits in Infection for Advancing Host Directed Therapies

Published on: September 13, 2024

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Mammalian intestines harbor dense, complex bacterial communities essential for host metabolism and digestion.
  • Beneficial symbiotic relationships between gut bacteria and hosts are common.
  • The proximity of bacteria to host tissues necessitates mechanisms to prevent harmful immune responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore how symbiotic host-bacterial relationships are established without triggering detrimental immune reactions.
  • To investigate the role of immune suppression, subversion, and evasion in maintaining gut symbiosis.

Main Methods:

  • This is an Opinion article, presenting a review and discussion of existing knowledge.
  • It synthesizes information on immune system interactions with indigenous gut microbiota.

Main Results:

  • Pathogenic bacteria often manipulate host immunity.
  • Mechanisms of immune suppression, subversion, and evasion are critical for establishing and maintaining symbiotic gut associations.
  • Understanding these immune interactions is key to comprehending gut health.

Conclusions:

  • The establishment of beneficial host-bacterial symbiosis in the mammalian intestine relies on sophisticated immune modulation by bacteria.
  • Immune suppression, subversion, and evasion are vital strategies employed by commensal bacteria to coexist with the host immune system.
  • Further research into these mechanisms can offer insights into gut health and disease.