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Abstract
Most commensal and pathogenic bacteria interacting with eukaryotic hosts express adhesive
molecules on their surfaces that promote interaction with host cell receptors or with
soluble macromolecules. Even though bacterial attachment to epithelial cells may be
beneficial for bacterial colonization, adhesion may come at a cost because bacterial
attachment to immune cells can facilitate phagocytosis and clearing. Many pathogenic
bacteria have solved this dilemma by producing an antiphagocytic surface layer usually
consisting of polysaccharide and by expressing their adhesins on polymeric structures
that extend out from the cell surface. In this review, we will focus on the interaction
between bacterial adhesins and the host, with an emphasis on pilus-like structures.