Exopolysaccharide-mediated surface penetration as new virulence trait in Enterococcus faecalis

Enterococcus faecalis is a commensal bacterium that normally inhabits the gastrointestinal tract of humans. This non-motile microorganism can also cause lethal infections in other organs by penetrating and breaching the intestinal barrier. However, the precise molecular mechanisms enabling E. faecalis movement and translocation across epithelial barriers remain incompletely characterized. We recently reported that E. faecalis utilizes the RpiA-GlnA-EpaX metabolic axis to generate β-1,6-linked poly-N-acetylglucosamine (polyGlcNAc)-containing exopolymers that are necessary for its optimal migration into semisolid surfaces and efficient translocation through human epithelial cell monolayers. These findings provide new evidence indicating that non-motile bacterial pathogens can exploit carbohydrate metabolism to penetrate surfaces. Hence, targeting this process might represent a new strategy to more effectively control systemic infections by E. faecalis.