Horz HP, Conrads G. Methanogenic Archaea and oral infections - ways to unravel the black box.
J Oral Microbiol 2011;
3. [PMID:
21541092 PMCID:
PMC3086593 DOI:
10.3402/jom.v3i0.5940]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2010] [Revised: 01/25/2011] [Accepted: 01/26/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Archaea, organisms that make up the third domain of cellular life are members of the human oral microflora. They are strikingly less diverse than oral bacteria and appear to be relatively rare with respect to their numerical abundance. Since they have been exclusively found in association with oral infections such as periodontitis and apical periodontitis and given their unique physiology and energy metabolism, it is highly plausible that they are more than just secondary colonizers of infected areas, but instead are actively involved in the overall poly-microbial infection process. Conversely, it is a highly challenging task to clearly demonstrate their possible active participation – mostly due to the difficulty to grow them in routine microbiology laboratories. This current review points out the importance for understanding the medical impact of methanogens and aims at devising strategies for elucidating the true function of archaea in the oral ecosystem.
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