Tiemblo Martin, Marta (2024) Full characterization of bacterial envelope components. [Tesi di dottorato]

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Abstract

Gram-negative bacteria possess an outer membrane primarily composed of glycans. There are still many open questions on how bacterial surfaces of pathogens and commensals interact with host receptors to avoid immune recognition and produce harmful or beneficial effects. This thesis project shed some light into the study of bacterial glycans and their immunomodulatory properties, offering insights into their chemical structures and their implications for modulating the immune response. The research is structured into chapters, each of which focuses on the isolation and characterization of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS), lipooligosaccharides (LOS), and capsular polysaccharides (CPS), key components of the outer layer of the outer membrane in Gram-negative bacteria. Each chapter contributes to a deeper understanding of how bacterial glycans influence the immune response, providing crucial insights to differentiate between pathogenic and beneficial bacteria, thus paving the way for potential therapeutic applications. To this aim, the structures, composition and immunostimulatory properties of glycans from commensal bacteria such as Bacteroides eggerthii, Akkermansia muciniphila, Pseudoruminococcus massiliensis, and pathogens like Fusobacterium gonidiaformans are characterized in the following chapters. In essence, the composition of the bacterial envelope is crucial for its interaction with the host, highlighting the need to understand the structure of its components for further functional exploration and comprehension of their specific roles. In this framework, gaining insights into the molecular characteristics of both bacteria and pathogens in the microbiota is an essential starting point. By delving deeper into the characterization of glycans, my PhD thesis highlights the unexpected structures and activities of these compounds, shedding light on previously unrecognized facets of their biological importance.

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