ArticlePLoS biology2020
Glycan cross-feeding supports mutualism between Fusobacterium and the vaginal microbiota.
Article in PLoS biology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
40 citing papers in PubMed, 58 citations in OpenAlex.
- Microbiota-metabolite axis in endometriosis: Pathogenic mechanisms and clinical implications.Journal of biomedical research · 2026Article
- Cross-feeding interactions betweenmSystems · 2026Article
- Vaginal microbiota in assisted reproduction: determinants, dynamics, and impact on clinical outcomes.Frontiers in microbiology · 2026Review
- Article
- Bacterial vaginosis: a narrative review of concepts and best practices.Gynecology and pelvic medicine · 2026Review
- Article
- Review
- Colonization by Porphyromonas gingivalis in cervical squamous cell carcinomas promotes metastasis through FimA/CD151/ITGB1 signaling.Journal of translational medicine · 2025Article
- Proteomic Profiling of Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles for Exploring Ovarian Cancer Biomarkers.Journal of extracellular biology · 2025Article
- Exploring the vaginal ecosystem: insights into host-microbe interactions and microbial community dynamics.Infection and immunity · 2025Review
- Dysbiosis-associated gut bacteriumMicrobiology spectrum · 2025Article
- Identification and characterisation of vaginal bacteria-glycan interactions implicated in reproductive tract health and pregnancy outcomes.Nature communications · 2025Article
- Social, microbial, and immune factors linking bacterial vaginosis and infectious diseases.The Journal of clinical investigation · 2025Review
- Mixed Infections in the Female Lower Genital Tract: Unlocking the Current Landscape and Future Directions.Current medical science · 2025Review
- Article
- An association between poor oral health, oral microbiota, and pain identified in New Zealand women with central sensitisation disorders: a prospective clinical study.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Preclinical validation of electrospun fibers to achieve vaginal colonization byFrontiers in bacteriology · 2025Article
- Review
- Vaginal dysbiosis and the potential of vaginal microbiome-directed therapeutics.Frontiers in microbiomes · 2024Review
- The role of sialidases in the pathogenesis of bacterial vaginosis and their use as a promising pharmacological target in bacterial vaginosis.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
14 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Women with bacterial vaginosis (BV), an imbalance of the vaginal microbiome, are more likely to be colonized by potential pathogens such as Fusobacterium nucleatum, a bacterium linked with intrauterine infection and preterm birth. However, the conditions and mechanisms supporting pathogen colonization during vaginal dysbiosis remain obscure. We demonstrate that sialidase activity, a diagnostic feature of BV, promoted F. nucleatum foraging and growth on mammalian sialoglycans, a nutrient resource that was otherwise inaccessible because of the lack of endogenous F. nucleatum sialidase. In mice with sialidase-producing vaginal microbiotas, mutant F. nucleatum unable to consume sialic acids was impaired in vaginal colonization. These experiments in mice also led to the discovery that F. nucleatum may also "give back" to the community by reinforcing sialidase activity, a biochemical feature of human dysbiosis. Using human vaginal bacterial communities, we show that F. nucleatum supported robust outgrowth of Gardnerella vaginalis, a major sialidase producer and one of the most abundant organisms in BV. These results illustrate that mutually beneficial relationships between vaginal bacteria support pathogen colonization and may help maintain features of dysbiosis. These findings challenge the simplistic dogma that the mere absence of "healthy" lactobacilli is the sole mechanism that creates a permissive environment for pathogens during vaginal dysbiosis. Given the ubiquity of F. nucleatum in the human mouth, these studies also suggest a possible mechanism underlying links between vaginal dysbiosis and oral sex.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.