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Updated: Dec 24, 2025

Visualization of Twitching Motility and Characterization of the Role of the PilG in Xylella fastidiosa
Published on: April 8, 2016
Bridging Bacteria and the Gut: Functional Aspects of Type IV Pili
Kate Ligthart1, Clara Belzer1, Willem M de Vos2
1Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Cell-surface-located proteinaceous appendages, such as flagella and fimbriae or pili, are ubiquitous in bacterial communities. Here, we focus on conserved type IV pili (T4P) produced by bacteria in the intestinal tract, one of the most densely populated human ecosystems. Computational analysis revealed that approximately 30% of known intestinal bacteria are predicted to produce T4P. To rationalize how T4P allow intestinal bacteria to interact with their environment, other microbiota members, and host cells, we review their established role in gut commensals and pathogens with respect to adherence, motility, and biofilm formation, as well as protein secretion and DNA uptake. This work indicates that T4P are widely spread among the known members of the intestinal microbiota and that their contribution to human health might be underestimated.
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