Adherence and internalization of Streptococcus gordonii by epithelial cells involves beta1 integrin recognition by SspA and SspB (antigen I/II family) polypeptides.

Streptococcus gordonii is a commensal bacterium that colonizes the hard and soft tissues present in the human mouth and nasopharynx. The cell wall-anchored polypeptides SspA and SspB expressed by S. gordonii mediate a wide range of interactions with host proteins and other bacteria.