Anandi Rajan

Abstract The anaerobic spirochete Brachyspira causes intestinal spirochetosis, characterized by the intimate attachment of bacterial cells to the colonic mucosa, potentially leading to symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and weight loss. Despite the clinical significance of Brachyspira infections, the mechanism behind the interaction between Brachyspira and the colonic epithelium is not known. In this study, we characterized the molecular mechanism of B.

1. Introduction The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the habitat of a complex and abundant population of organisms including bacteria, viruses, archaea, and eukaryotes (e.g., fungi and protozoa), collectively known as the gut microbiota. The microbiota refers to the living organisms present, while the term microbiome goes beyond the microorganisms themselves and considers their structural elements, genomes, metabolites, interactions, and the surrounding environmental conditions [1].