New DII Review Reveals the Hidden Dynamics of Gut Microbes

• Nutrition, Microbiome and Immunity
• Department of Infection and Immunity

A new review published by the Department of Infection & Immunity in the journal Mucosal Immunology sheds light on the hidden world of microbes inhabiting the colon’s mucus layer, an underexplored frontier critical for gut health and disease prevention.

Authored by Mihovil Joja, Erica Grant, and Mahesh Desai of the Nutrition, Microbiome & Immunity Group, the review titled “Living on the edge: Mucus-associated microbes in the colon” delves into the biology of mucus-residing bacteria, their role in maintaining the gut barrier, and the delicate balance between protection and disease risk. The issue’s cover is also from the review and shows a picture of the colonic mucus layer taken by Mihovil Joja.

The review highlights new tools, such as spatial imaging, microdissection, and multi-omics, to map and study mucus-associated bacteria, while emphasizing how factors like diet, antibiotics, and immune molecules like IgA influence this ecosystem.

“These microbes live in some of the most intimate spaces in the body, right next to our gut lining. Understanding how they interact and what influences them is key to developing targeted therapies that can protect and restore the mucosal barrier,” said Dr Mahesh Desai, senior author and head of the Nutrition, Microbiome & Immunity Group.

Importantly, the authors categorize mucus-utilizing bacteria into three categories: “sharing,” “selfish,” and “moochers,” reflecting their different strategies for accessing nutrients and supporting, or undermining, the function of microbial communities. They also state that standard stool-based microbiome analyses often miss these mucus-layer dwellers, and less invasive sampling strategies and more translational research methods are necessary.

As interest in microbiome-based therapies continues to grow, this review positions the mucosal microbiome as a crucial, yet largely untapped, frontline in gut health.