eCIS
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyA Distinct Contractile Injection System Gene Cluster Found in a Majority of Healthy Adult Human MicrobiomesTo engage with host cells, diverse pathogenic bacteria produce syringe-like structures called contractile injection systems (CIS). CIS are evolutionarily related to the contractile tails of bacteriophages and are specialized to puncture membranes, often delivering effectors to target cells. Although CIS are key for pathogens to cause disease, paradoxically, similar injection systems have been identified within healthy human microbiome...