Two-for-one: Dual host-microbe functions of S. epidermidis Sph

The skin microbiome is essential for skin function, yet the mechanisms responsible are only beginning to be uncovered. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Zheng et al. demonstrate that a Staphylococcus epidermidis sphingomyelinase has a mutually beneficial role in supporting the skin barrier and promoting S. epidermidis colonization.