MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, MASSACHUSETTS, USA. Recent studies have proven that mucins actually keep bacteria from moving around and forming together. Mucins are long protein chains with lots of sugar molecules. It is also a type of polymer that can be found in mucus. Although mucus is often associated with the side effect of an infection, it is also considered as a good way to prevent bacterial growth even if it isn’t the first thing that you will ever think of when you need a disinfectant. That is because mucin has the ability to trap and prevent bacteria from clustering together in a biofilm that is difficult to remove.

Biofilms usually consist of large colonies of bacteria in slimy layers which is why it is considered as one of the major problems of hospitals in general. With mucins, infection can be prevented because it keeps biofilm from forming. Before, mucus is believed to grab onto foreign particles to trap them. After the research, it has been proven that mucus actually stops bacteria from entering our body through our nose, eyes and mouths by trapping it and prevents it from clustering together. Individual bacteria aren’t as harmful as accumulated bacteria and that is what mucus is making sure of.

In response to mucus proteins, a paper was published last week in Current Biology by former MIT postdoc Marina Caldara and current grad student Ronn Friedlander which observed the behavior of a bacterium. Right now, the research team is working on integrating mucus proteins into antibacterial products. Perhaps we might hear about toothpastes or other forms of protective coatings made from mucus proteins in the near future.