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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2023 Mar 1.
Published in final edited form as: Trends Microbiol. 2021 Jul 14;30(3):254–267. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.06.011

Figure 3. Utilization of host glycans by bacterial pathogens.

Figure 3.

Physical barriers to the entry of pathogens (the light blue shaded area in this graphic), including the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, urogenital tract, and respiratory tract, are heavily glycosylated, which is vital for the host barrier function. Paradoxically, those host glycans benefit multiple pathogens for colonization, tropism, and/or as a source of nutrients during infection. Bacterial names and virulence factors involved are indicated in the top portion of this graphic. Some notable examples are highlighted in this figure and are discussed under the heading ‘Host glycans utilized by bacteria for pathogenesis’. Abbreviations: S. Typhimurium, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium; V. cholerae, Vibrio cholerae; UPEC, uropathogenic Escherichia coli; N. meningitidis, Neisseria meningitidis; VCC, Vibrio cholerae cytolysin; RbmC, the biofilm matrix protein.