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Commensal bacteria limit inflammation and disease; however, the mechanisms and genes utilized by these bacteria to inhibit pathogenesis in their hostsare poorly understood. Bacillus subtilis is a spore-forming bacterium present in the gut of mammals and I have shown that B. subtilis spores prevent disease in several inflammatory models. I have also identified several genes, including espH, which are required for B. subtilis-mediated protection. espH is required for exopolysaccharides production and B. subtilis mutants that do not produce exopolysaccharides do not suppress intestinal inflammation. I am currently using a variety of knockout mice to identify the host cells and molecular pathways utilized byB. subtilis to suppress inflammation. By expanding our current mechanistic knowledge of bacterial protection, we could better utilize beneficial microbes to attenuate inflammation and limit disease.
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