Corynebacterium mastitidis

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1. Classification

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2. Description and significance

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3. Genome structure

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4. Cell structure

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6. Ecology

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7. Pathology

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8. Current Research

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C. mastitidis was recently discovered as an important immunoresponse factor in ocular health of mice [3]. Using a mouse model of an ocular surface, C mastitidis was isolated and proved to play a role in the immunological response to several eye infections [2]. C. mastitidis was found to have a commensal relationship with the ocular microbiome by initiating the production of interleukin-17 by γδ T cells in the ocular mucosa [3]. The interleukin-17 response induces the recruitment of neutrophil into the conjunctiva, which then releases antimicrobial molecules into the tears. The antimicrobial molecules protect against invasive infections like Candida albicans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa [3]. This immune response initiated by C. mastitidis was found to be essential to the local ocular immunity in the mice that had been exposed to the bacterium. While a consistent ocular microbiome signature is lacking and controversial due to the constant tear washing and antimicrobial environment of the eye, C. mastitidis was found to have the ability to colonize the ocular surface of both humans and mice [3]. The role of C. mastitidis in the conjunctiva immune response sets a platform for future research in the ocular microbiome and the diseases that originate there [3].

9. References

It is required that you add at least five primary research articles (in same format as the sample reference below) that corresponds to the info that you added to this page. [Sample reference] Faller, A., and Schleifer, K. "Modified Oxidase and Benzidine Tests for Separation of Staphylococci from Micrococci". Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 1981. Volume 13. p. 1031-1035.