MIT scientists discover gut protein that traps and kills dangerous bacteria

Scientists at MIT have discovered that a little-known protein called intelectin-2 plays a powerful double role in defending the gut. The protein strengthens the mucus layer that lines the gastrointestinal tract while also trapping and disabling harmful bacteria that try to break through. By binding to sugars on both mucus molecules and bacterial surfaces, intelectin-2 forms a protective barrier and can even destroy microbes, including some that resist antibiotics. Researchers at MIT have now identified one lectin with particularly strong antimicrobial effects against bacteria living in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The protein, called intelectin-2, attaches to sugar molecules on bacterial membranes. This in... [5070 chars]