MIT scientists discover gut protein that traps and kills dangerous bacteria

Intelectin-2 reinforces the mucus barrier and neutralizes antibiotic-resistant pathogens

Mar. 16, 2026 at 4:06am

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Researchers at MIT have discovered that a protein called intelectin-2 plays a powerful dual role in defending the gut. The protein strengthens the protective mucus layer lining the gastrointestinal tract and can also directly trap and kill harmful bacteria, including some resistant to antibiotics.

Why it matters

This finding could lead to new therapies for inflammatory bowel diseases, where intelectin-2 levels are often imbalanced, as well as new antimicrobial treatments to combat the growing threat of antibiotic resistance.

The details

Intelectin-2 attaches to sugar molecules on bacterial membranes, trapping the microbes and slowing their growth. The protein can also link together components of mucus, reinforcing the protective mucus layer. This dual function helps shield the gut from infection. In people with inflammatory bowel disease, abnormal intelectin-2 levels can weaken or overcompensate the mucus barrier. The researchers believe therapies to restore balanced intelectin-2 could benefit these patients. Intelectin-2 can also neutralize pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, which are often resistant to antibiotics, suggesting it could be developed into a new antimicrobial treatment.

  • The study was published on March 16, 2026.

The players

Laura Kiessling

The Novartis Professor of Chemistry at MIT and the senior author of the study.

Amanda Dugan

A former MIT research scientist and lead author of the study.

Deepsing Syangtan

A PhD student at MIT and lead author of the study.

Charles Bevins

A professor of medical microbiology and immunology at the University of California at Davis School of Medicine and a contributor to the study.

Ramnik Xavier

A professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and a contributor to the study.

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What they’re saying

“What's remarkable is that intelectin-2 operates in two complementary ways. It helps stabilize the mucus layer, and if that barrier is compromised, it can directly neutralize or restrain bacteria that begin to escape.”

— Laura Kiessling, Novartis Professor of Chemistry at MIT

“Harnessing human lectins as tools to combat antimicrobial resistance opens up a fundamentally new strategy that draws on our own innate immune defenses. Taking advantage of proteins that the body already uses to protect itself against pathogens is compelling and a direction that we are pursuing.”

— Laura Kiessling, Novartis Professor of Chemistry at MIT

What’s next

The researchers plan to further investigate the potential of intelectin-2 as a therapeutic tool, particularly for treating inflammatory bowel diseases and combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

The takeaway

This discovery highlights the powerful dual role of the gut protein intelectin-2 in strengthening the protective mucus barrier and directly neutralizing harmful bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant pathogens. It opens up new avenues for developing therapies that harness the body's own innate immune defenses to combat gut infections and inflammatory diseases.