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Ye D, Liu Y, Li J, Zhou J, Cao J, Wu Y, Wang X, Fang Y, Ye X, Zou J, Ma Q. Competitive dynamics and balance between Streptococcus mutans and commensal streptococci in oral microecology. Crit Rev Microbiol 2024:1-12. [PMID: 39132685 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2024.2389386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Dental caries, as a biofilm-related disease, is closely linked to dysbiosis in microbial ecology within dental biofilms. Beyond its impact on oral health, bacteria within the oral cavity pose systemic health risks by potentially entering the bloodstream, thereby increasing susceptibility to bacterial endocarditis, among other related diseases. Streptococcus mutans, a principal cariogenic bacterium, possesses virulence factors crucial to the pathogenesis of dental caries. Its ability to adhere to tooth surfaces, produce glucans for biofilm formation, and metabolize sugars into lactic acid contributes to enamel demineralization and the initiation of carious lesions. Its aciduricity and ability to produce bacteriocins enable a competitive advantage, allowing it to thrive in acidic environments and dominate in changing oral microenvironments. In contrast, commensal streptococci, such as Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus gordonii, and Streptococcus salivarius, act as primary colonizers and compete with S. mutans for adherence sites and nutrients during biofilm formation. This competition involves the production of alkali, peroxides, and antibacterial substances, thereby inhibiting S. mutans growth and maintaining microbial balance. This dynamic interaction influences the balance of oral microbiota, with disruptions leading to shifts in microbial composition that are marked by rapid increases in S. mutans abundance, contributing to the onset of dental caries. Thus, understanding the dynamic interactions between commensal and pathogenic bacteria in oral microecology is important for developing effective strategies to promote oral health and prevent dental caries. This review highlights the roles and competitive interactions of commensal bacteria and S. mutans in oral microecology, emphasizing the importance of maintaining oral microbial balance for health, and discusses the pathological implications of perturbations in this balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingwei Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Center for Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yaqi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Center for Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Center for Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Center for Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jingwei Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Center for Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yumeng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Center for Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinyue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Center for Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuwen Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Center for Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xingchen Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Center for Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Center for Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qizhao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Center for Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Cheng X, Xu X, Zhou X, Ning J. Oxidative stress response: a critical factor affecting the ecological competitiveness of Streptococcus mutans. J Oral Microbiol 2023; 16:2292539. [PMID: 38405599 PMCID: PMC10885835 DOI: 10.1080/20002297.2023.2292539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Oral microecological balance is closely associated with the development of dental caries. Oxidative stress is one of the important factors regulating the composition and structure of the oral microbial community. Streptococcus mutans is linked to the occurrence and development of dental caries. The ability of S. mutans to withstand oxidative stress affects its survival competitiveness in biofilms. The oxidative stress regulatory mechanisms of S. mutans include synthesis of reductase, regulation of metal ions uptake, regulator PerR, transcription regulator Spx, extracellular uptake of glutathione, and other related signal transduction systems. Here, we provide an overview of how S. mutans adapts to oxidative stress and its influence on oral microecology, which may offer novel options to investigate the cariogenic mechanisms of S. mutans in the oral microenvironment, and new targets for the ecological prevention and treatment of dental caries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingqun Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuedong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jia Ning
- Department of General Dentistry, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
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Merritt J, Kreth J. Illuminating the oral microbiome and its host interactions: tools and approaches for molecular microbiology studies. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuac050. [PMID: 36549660 PMCID: PMC10719069 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuac050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Advancements in DNA sequencing technologies within the last decade have stimulated an unprecedented interest in the human microbiome, largely due the broad diversity of human diseases found to correlate with microbiome dysbiosis. As a direct consequence of these studies, a vast number of understudied and uncharacterized microbes have been identified as potential drivers of mucosal health and disease. The looming challenge in the field is to transition these observations into defined molecular mechanistic studies of symbiosis and dysbiosis. In order to meet this challenge, many of these newly identified microbes will need to be adapted for use in experimental models. Consequently, this review presents a comprehensive overview of the molecular microbiology tools and techniques that have played crucial roles in genetic studies of the bacteria found within the human oral microbiota. Here, we will use specific examples from the oral microbiome literature to illustrate the biology supporting these techniques, why they are needed in the field, and how such technologies have been implemented. It is hoped that this information can serve as a useful reference guide to help catalyze molecular microbiology studies of the many new understudied and uncharacterized species identified at different mucosal sites in the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Merritt
- Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Jens Kreth
- Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States
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张 梦, 程 兴, 徐 欣. [Latest Findings on Polyketides/Non-ribosomal Peptides That Are Secondary Metabolites of Streptococcus mutans]. SICHUAN DA XUE XUE BAO. YI XUE BAN = JOURNAL OF SICHUAN UNIVERSITY. MEDICAL SCIENCE EDITION 2023; 54:685-691. [PMID: 37248606 PMCID: PMC10475436 DOI: 10.12182/20230560302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Dental caries is a chronic infectious disease that occurs in the hard tissue of teeth under the influence of multiple factors, among which bacteria being a key factor. Streptococcus mutans ( S. mutans) is considered a major pathogen that causes caries. Secondary metabolites, including bacteriocins and polyketides/non-ribosomal peptides, are a class of small-molecule compounds synthesized by S. mutans. To date, polyketides/non-ribosomal peptides identified in S. mutans include mutanobactin, mutanocyclin, and mutanofactin, which are synthesized by the mub, muc, and muf biosynthetic gene clusters, respectively. These polyketides/non-ribosomal peptides play important roles in bacterial inter-species competition, oxidative stress, and biofilm formation. In this review, we provided an overview of the synthesis, function and regulation of three polyketides/non-ribosomal peptides of S. mutans, including mutanobactin, mutanocyclin, and mutanofactin, aiming to provide new insights into the cariogenic mechanism of S. mutans and to promote the better management of dental caries.
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Affiliation(s)
- 梦碟 张
- 口腔疾病研究国家重点实验室,国家口腔疾病临床医学研究中心,四川大学华西口腔医院 牙体牙髓病科 (成都 610041)The State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Department of Cariology and Endodontics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - 兴群 程
- 口腔疾病研究国家重点实验室,国家口腔疾病临床医学研究中心,四川大学华西口腔医院 牙体牙髓病科 (成都 610041)The State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Department of Cariology and Endodontics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - 欣 徐
- 口腔疾病研究国家重点实验室,国家口腔疾病临床医学研究中心,四川大学华西口腔医院 牙体牙髓病科 (成都 610041)The State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Department of Cariology and Endodontics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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Shanmugam K, Sarveswari HB, Udayashankar A, Swamy SS, Pudipeddi A, Shanmugam T, Solomon AP, Neelakantan P. Guardian genes ensuring subsistence of oral Streptococcus mutans. Crit Rev Microbiol 2020; 46:475-491. [PMID: 32720594 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2020.1796579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Despite the substantial research advancements on oral diseases, dental caries remains a major healthcare burden. A disease of microbial dysbiosis, dental caries is characterised by the formation of biofilms that assist demineralisation and destruction of the dental hard tissues. While it is well understood that this is a multi-kingdom biofilm-mediated disease, it has been elucidated that acid producing and acid tolerant bacteria play pioneering roles in the process. Specifically, Streptococcus mutans houses major virulence pathways that enable it to thrive in the oral cavity and cause caries. This pathogen adheres to the tooth substrate, forms biofilms, resists external stress, produces acids, kills closely related species, and survives the acid as well as the host clearance mechanisms. For an organism to be able to confer such virulence, it requires a large and complex gene network which synergise to establish disease. In this review, we have charted how these multi-faceted genes control several caries-related functions of Streptococcus mutans. In a futuristic thinking approach, we also briefly discuss the potential roles of omics and machine learning, to ease the study of non-functional genes that may play a major role and enable the integration of experimental data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthi Shanmugam
- Quorum Sensing Laboratory, Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Thanjavur, India
| | - Hema Bhagavathi Sarveswari
- Quorum Sensing Laboratory, Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Thanjavur, India
| | - Akshaya Udayashankar
- Quorum Sensing Laboratory, Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Thanjavur, India
| | - Shogan Sugumar Swamy
- Quorum Sensing Laboratory, Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Thanjavur, India
| | - Akhila Pudipeddi
- Quorum Sensing Laboratory, Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Thanjavur, India
| | - Tamilarasi Shanmugam
- Quorum Sensing Laboratory, Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Thanjavur, India
| | - Adline Princy Solomon
- Quorum Sensing Laboratory, Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Thanjavur, India
| | - Prasanna Neelakantan
- Division of Restorative Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Disruption of l-Rhamnose Biosynthesis Results in Severe Growth Defects in Streptococcus mutans. J Bacteriol 2020; 202:JB.00728-19. [PMID: 31871035 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00728-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The rhamnose-glucose cell wall polysaccharide (RGP) of Streptococcus mutans plays a significant role in cell division, virulence, and stress protection. Prior studies examined function of the RGP using strains carrying deletions in the machinery involved in RGP assembly. In this study, we explored loss of the substrate for RGP, l-rhamnose, via deletion of rmlD (encoding the protein responsible for the terminal step in l-rhamnose biosynthesis). We demonstrate that loss of rhamnose biosynthesis causes a phenotype similar to strains with disrupted RGP assembly (ΔrgpG and ΔrgpF strains). Deletion of rmlD not only caused a severe growth defect under nonstress growth conditions but also elevated susceptibility of the strain to acid and oxidative stress, common conditions found in the oral cavity. A genetic complement of the ΔrmlD strain completely restored wild-type levels of growth, whereas addition of exogenous rhamnose did not. The loss of rhamnose production also significantly disrupted biofilm formation, an important aspect of S. mutans growth in the oral cavity. Further, we demonstrate that loss of either rmlD or rgpG results in ablation of rhamnose content in the S. mutans cell wall. Taken together, these results highlight the importance of rhamnose production in both the fitness and the ability of S. mutans to overcome environmental stresses.IMPORTANCE Streptococcus mutans is a pathogenic bacterium that is the primary etiologic agent of dental caries, a disease that affects billions yearly. Rhamnose biosynthesis is conserved not only in streptococcal species but in other Gram-positive, as well as Gram-negative, organisms. This study highlights the importance of rhamnose biosynthesis in RGP production for protection of the organism against acid and oxidative stresses, the two major stressors that the organism encounters in the oral cavity. Loss of RGP also severely impacts biofilm formation, the first step in the onset of dental caries. The high conservation of the rhamnose synthesis enzymes, as well as their importance in S. mutans and other organisms, makes them favorable antibiotic targets for the treatment of disease.
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