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Treerat P, de Mattos C, Burnside M, Zhang H, Zhu Y, Zou Z, Anderson D, Wu H, Merritt J, Kreth J. Ribosomal-processing cysteine protease homolog modulates Streptococcus mutans glucan production and interkingdom interactions. J Bacteriol 2024:e0010424. [PMID: 38899897 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00104-24] [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: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Glucan-dependent biofilm formation is a crucial process in the establishment of Streptococcus mutans as a cariogenic oral microbe. The process of glucan formation has been investigated in great detail, with glycosyltransferases GtfB, GtfC, and GtfD shown to be indispensable for the synthesis of glucans from sucrose. Glucan production can be visualized during biofilm formation through fluorescent labeling, and its abundance, as well as the effect of glucans on general biofilm architecture, is a common phenotype to study S. mutans virulence regulation. Here, we describe an entirely new phenotype associated with glucan production, caused by a mutation in the open reading frame SMU_848, which is located in an operon encoding ribosome-associated proteins. This mutation led to the excess production and accumulation of glucan-containing droplets on the surface of biofilms formed on agar plates after prolonged incubation. While not characterized in S. mutans, SMU_848 shows homology to the phage-related ribosomal protease Prp, essential in cleaving off the N-terminal extension of ribosomal protein L27 for functional ribosome assembly in Staphylococcus aureus. We present a further characterization of SMU_848/Prp, demonstrating that the deletion of this gene leads to significant changes in S. mutans gtfBC expression. Surprisingly, it also profoundly impacts the interkingdom interaction between S. mutans and Candida albicans, a relevant dual-species interaction implicated in severe early childhood caries. The presented data support a potential broader role for SMU_848/Prp, possibly extending its functionality beyond the ribosomal network to influence important ecological processes. IMPORTANCE Streptococcus mutans is an important member of the oral biofilm and is implicated in the initiation of caries. One of the main virulence mechanisms is the glucan-dependent formation of biofilms. We identified a new player in the regulation of glucan production, SMU_848, which is part of an operon that also encodes for ribosomal proteins L27 and L21. A mutation in SMU_848, which encodes a phage-related ribosomal protease Prp, leads to a significant accumulation of glucan-containing droplets on S. mutans biofilms, a previously unknown phenotype. Further investigations expanded our knowledge about the role of SMU_848 beyond its role in glucan production, including significant involvement in interkingdom interactions, thus potentially playing a global role in the virulence regulation of S. mutans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puthayalai Treerat
- Biomaterial and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, Oregon, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Camilla de Mattos
- Biomaterial and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Molly Burnside
- Biomaterial and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Hua Zhang
- Biomaterial and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Yanting Zhu
- Biomaterial and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Zhengzhong Zou
- Biomaterial and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - David Anderson
- Biomaterial and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Hui Wu
- Biomaterial and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Justin Merritt
- Biomaterial and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, Oregon, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Jens Kreth
- Biomaterial and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, Oregon, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, Oregon, USA
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Pan T, Li Y, Liu FS, Lin H, Zhou Y. Membrane-Anchored Aggregation-Induced Emission Luminogens: Accurate Labeling and Efficient Photodynamic Inactivation of Streptococcus mutans in Anticaries Therapy. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:30833-30846. [PMID: 38842123 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c04585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Dental caries is a widespread bacterial infectious disease that imposes a significant public health burden globally. The primary culprits in caries development are cariogenic bacteria, notably Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), due to their robust biofilm-forming capabilities. To address this issue, a series of cationic pyridinium-substituted photosensitizers with aggregation-induced emission have been designed. All of these aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) exhibit outstanding microbial visualization and photodynamic killing of S. mutans, thanks to their luminous fluorescence and efficient singlet oxygen generation ability. Notably, one of the membrane-anchored AIEgens (TDTPY) can inactivate planktic S. mutans and its biofilm without causing significant cytotoxicity. Importantly, application of TDTPY-mediated photodynamic treatment on in vivo rodent models has yielded commendable imaging results and effectively slowed down caries progression with assured biosafety. Unlike traditional single-mode anticaries materials, AIEgens integrate the dual functions of detecting and removing S. mutans and are expected to build a new caries management diagnosis and treatment platform. To the best of our knowledge, this is also the first report on the use of AIEgens for anticaries studies both in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Pan
- Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou 510055, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Dental Disease Prevention and Control, Guangzhou 510055, China
| | - Yixue Li
- Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou 510055, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Dental Disease Prevention and Control, Guangzhou 510055, China
| | - Feng-Shou Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Zhongshan 528458, China
| | - Huancai Lin
- Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou 510055, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Dental Disease Prevention and Control, Guangzhou 510055, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou 510055, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Dental Disease Prevention and Control, Guangzhou 510055, China
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Yu S, Ma Q, Huang J, Liu Y, Li J, Wang Y, Gong T, Zhang Q, Zou J, Li Y. SMU_1361c regulates the oxidative stress response of Streptococcus mutans. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0187123. [PMID: 38299814 PMCID: PMC10880606 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01871-23] [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: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Dental caries is the most common chronic infectious disease around the world and disproportionately affects the marginalized socioeconomic group. Streptococcus mutans, considered a primary etiological agent of caries, depends on the coordinated physiological response to tolerate the oxidative stress generated by commensal species within dental plaque, which is a critical aspect of its pathogenicity. Here, we identified and characterized a novel tetracycline repressor family regulator, SMU_1361c, which appears to be acquired by the bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. Surprisingly, smu_1361c functions as a negative transcriptional regulator to regulate gene expression outside its operon and is involved in the oxidative stress response of S. mutans. The smu_1361c overexpression strain UA159/pDL278-1361c was more susceptible to oxidative stress and less competitive against hydrogen peroxide generated by commensal species Streptococcus gordonii and Streptococcus sanguinis. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that smu_1361c overexpression resulted in the significant downregulation of 22 genes, mainly belonging to three gene clusters responsible for the oxidative stress response. The conversed DNA binding motif of SMU_1361c was determined by electrophoretic mobility shift and DNase I footprinting assay with purified SMU_1361c protein; therefore, smu_1361c is directly involved in gene transcription related to the oxidative stress response. Crucially, our finding provides a new understanding of how S. mutans deals with the oxidative stress that is required for pathogenesis and will facilitate the development of new and improved therapeutic approaches for dental caries.IMPORTANCEStreptococcus mutans is the major organism associated with the development of dental caries, which globally is the most common chronic disease. To persist and survive in biofilms, S. mutans must compete with commensal species that occupy the same ecological niche. Here, we uncover a novel molecular mechanism of how tetracycline repressor family regulator smu_1361c is involved in the oxidative stress response through transcriptomics analysis, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and DNase I footprinting assay. Furthermore, we demonstrated that smu_1361c mediates S. mutans sensitivity to oxidative stress and competitiveness with commensal streptococci. Therefore, this study has revealed a previously unknown regulation between smu_1361c and genes outside its operon and demonstrated the importance of smu_1361c in the oxidative stress response and the fitness of S. mutans within the plaque biofilms, which can be exploited as a new therapy to modulate ecological homeostasis and prevent dental caries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuxing Yu
- 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
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qizhao Ma
- 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
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jun Huang
- 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
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yaqi Liu
- 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
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Li
- 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
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Wang
- 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
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Gong
- 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
| | - Qiong Zhang
- 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
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Zou
- 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
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- 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
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Chen J, Guo J, Lu X, Yin D, Zhou C, Li Y, Zhou X. Microbiome-friendly PS/PVP electrospun fibrous membrane with antibiofilm properties for dental engineering. Regen Biomater 2024; 11:rbae011. [PMID: 38414799 PMCID: PMC10898674 DOI: 10.1093/rb/rbae011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Dental caries is one of the most prevalent and biofilm-associated oral diseases in humans. Streptococcus mutans, with a high ability to form biofilms by adhering to hard surfaces, has been established as an important etiological agent for dental caries. Therefore, it is crucial to find a way to prevent the formation of cariogenic biofilm. Here, we report an electrospun fibrous membrane that could inhibit the adhesion and biofilm formation of S. mutans. Also, the polystyrene (PS)/polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) electrospun fibrous membrane altered the 3D biofilm architecture and decreased water-insoluble extracellular polysaccharide production. Notably, the anti-adhesion mechanism which laid in Coulomb repulsion between the negatively charged PS/PVP electrospun fibrous membrane and S. mutans was detected by zeta potential. Furthermore, metagenomics sequencing analysis and CCK-8 assay indicated that PS/PVP electrospun fibrous membrane was microbiome-friendly and displayed no influence on the cell viability of human gingival epithelial cells and human oral keratinocytes. Moreover, an in vitro simulation experiment demonstrated that PS/PVP electrospun fibrous membrane could decrease colony-forming unit counts of S. mutans effectively, and PS/PVP electrospun fibrous membrane carrying calcium fluoride displayed better anti-adhesion ability than that of PS/PVP electrospun fibrous membrane alone. Collectively, this research showed that the PS/PVP electrospun fibrous membrane has potential applications in controlling and preventing dental caries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiamin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Jia Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
- Stomatological Hospital affiliated Suzhou Vocational Health College, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Xueyun Lu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610064, China
| | - Derong Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Cuisong Zhou
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610064, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Xuedong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
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Zhang JS, Huang S, Chen Z, Chu CH, Takahashi N, Yu OY. Application of omics technologies in cariology research: A critical review with bibliometric analysis. J Dent 2024; 141:104801. [PMID: 38097035 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdent.2023.104801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To review the application of omics technologies in the field of cariology research and provide critical insights into the emerging opportunities and challenges. DATA & SOURCES Publications on the application of omics technologies in cariology research up to December 2022 were sourced from online databases, including PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. Two independent reviewers assessed the relevance of the publications to the objective of this review. STUDY SELECTION Studies that employed omics technologies to investigate dental caries were selected from the initial pool of identified publications. A total of 922 publications with one or more omics technologies adopted were included for comprehensive bibliographic analysis. (Meta)genomics (676/922, 73 %) is the predominant omics technology applied for cariology research in the included studies. Other applied omics technologies are metabolomics (108/922, 12 %), proteomics (105/922, 11 %), and transcriptomics (76/922, 8 %). CONCLUSION This study identified an emerging trend in the application of multiple omics technologies in cariology research. Omics technologies possess significant potential in developing strategies for the detection, staging evaluation, risk assessment, prevention, and management of dental caries. Despite the numerous challenges that lie ahead, the integration of multi-omics data obtained from individual biological samples, in conjunction with artificial intelligence technology, may offer potential avenues for further exploration in caries research. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE This review presented a comprehensive overview of the application of omics technologies in cariology research and discussed the advantages and challenges of using these methods to detect, assess, predict, prevent, and treat dental caries. It contributes to steering research for improved understanding of dental caries and advancing clinical translation of cariology research outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shi Huang
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Zigui Chen
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Chun-Hung Chu
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Nobuhiro Takahashi
- Division of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ollie Yiru Yu
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China.
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Lin Y, Ma Q, Yan J, Gong T, Huang J, Chen J, Li J, Qiu Y, Wang X, Lei Z, Zeng J, Wang L, Zhou X, Li Y. Inhibition of Streptococcus mutans growth and biofilm formation through protein acetylation. Mol Oral Microbiol 2024. [PMID: 38224336 DOI: 10.1111/omi.12452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Numerous cellular processes are regulated in response to the metabolic state of the cell, and one such regulatory mechanism involves lysine acetylation. Lysine acetylation has been proven to play an important role in the virulence of Streptococcus mutans, a major cariogenic bacterial species. S. mutans' glucosyltransferases (Gtfs) are responsible for synthesizing extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) and contributing to biofilm formation. One of the most common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), which can acetylate proteins through a nonenzymatic transacetylation reaction. Herein, we investigated the inhibitory effects of ASA on S. mutans. ASA treatment was observed to impede the growth of S. mutans, leading to a reduction in the production of water-insoluble EPS and the formation of biofilm. Moreover, ASA decreased the enzyme activity of Gtfs while increasing the protein acetylation level. The in vivo anticaries efficacy of ASA has further been proved using the rat caries model. In conclusion, ASA as an acetylation agent attenuated the cariogenic virulence of S. mutans, suggesting the potential value of protein acetylation on antimicrobial and anti-biofilm applications to S. mutans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongwang Lin
- 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, Sichuan, China
| | - Qizhao Ma
- 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, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiangchuan Yan
- 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, Sichuan, China
| | - Tao Gong
- 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, Sichuan, China
| | - Jun Huang
- 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, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiamin Chen
- 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, Sichuan, China
| | - Jing Li
- 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, Sichuan, China
| | - Yang Qiu
- 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, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaowan Wang
- 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, Sichuan, China
| | - Zixue Lei
- 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, Sichuan, China
| | - Jumei Zeng
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lingyun Wang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - 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, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- 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, Sichuan, China
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Zheng T, Jing M, Gong T, Yan J, Wang X, Xu M, Zhou X, Zeng J, Li Y. Regulatory mechanisms of exopolysaccharide synthesis and biofilm formation in Streptococcus mutans. J Oral Microbiol 2023; 15:2225257. [PMID: 37346997 PMCID: PMC10281425 DOI: 10.1080/20002297.2023.2225257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Dental caries is a chronic, multifactorial and biofilm-mediated oral bacterial infection affecting almost every age group and every geographical region. Streptococcus mutans is considered an important pathogen responsible for the initiation and development of dental caries. It produces exopolysaccharides in situ to promote the colonization of cariogenic bacteria and coordinate dental biofilm development. Objective The understanding of the regulatory mechanism of S. mutans biofilm formation can provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of caries. Design At present, an increasing number of studies have identified many regulatory systems in S. mutans that regulate biofilm formation, including second messengers (e.g. c-di-AMP, Ap4A), transcription factors (e.g. EpsR, RcrR, StsR, AhrC, FruR), two-component systems (e.g. CovR, VicR), small RNA (including sRNA0426, srn92532, and srn133489), acetylation modifications (e.g. ActG), CRISPR-associated proteins (e.g. Cas3), PTS systems (e.g. EIIAB), quorum-sensing signaling system (e.g. LuxS), enzymes (including Dex, YidC, CopZ, EzrA, lmrB, SprV, RecA, PdxR, MurI) and small-molecule metabolites. Results This review summarizes the recent progress in the molecular regulatory mechanisms of exopolysaccharides synthesis and biofilm formation in S. mutans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Meiling Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiangchuan Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaowan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mai Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, 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 Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jumei Zeng
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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8
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Yi L, Fan Q, Wang H, Fan H, Zuo J, Wang Y, Wang Y. Establishment of Streptococcus suis Biofilm Infection Model In Vivo and Comparative Analysis of Gene Expression Profiles between In Vivo and In Vitro Biofilms. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0268622. [PMID: 36507687 PMCID: PMC9927446 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02686-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus suis is a zoonotic pathogen that continuously threatens animal husbandry and public health worldwide. Studies have shown that S. suis can cause persistent infection by forming biofilms. In this study, a model of S. suis biofilm-related infection was successfully constructed for the first time by simulating the natural infection of S. suis, and biofilm of S. suis in vivo was successfully observed in the lung tissue of infected pigs by a variety of detection methods. Subsequently, selective capture of transcribed sequences (SCOTS) was used to identify genes expressed by S. suis in vivo biofilms. Sixty-nine genes were captured in in vivo biofilms formed by S. suis for the first time by SCOTS; they were mainly involved in metabolism, cell replication, and division, transport, signal transduction, cell wall, etc. Genes related to S. suis in vitro biofilm formation were also identified by SCOTS and RNA sequencing. Approximately half of the genes captured by SCOTS in the in vivo and in vitro biofilms were found to be different. In summary, our study provides powerful clues for future exploration of the mechanisms of S. suis biofilm formation. IMPORTANCE Streptococcus suis is considered an important zoonotic pathogen, and persistent infection caused by biofilm is currently considered to be the reason why S. suis is difficult to control in swine. However, to date, a model of the biofilm of S. suis in vivo has not been successfully constructed. Here, we successfully detected biofilms of S. suis in vivo in lung tissues of piglets infected with S. suis. Selective capture of transcribed sequences and the transcriptome were used to obtain gene profiles of S. suis in vivo and in vitro biofilms, and the results showed large differences between them. Such data are of importance for future experimental studies exploring the mechanism of biofilm formation by S. suis in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yi
- College of Life Science, Luoyang Normal University, Luoyang, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Qingying Fan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Pathogen and Immunology of Animal of Luoyang, Luoyang, China
| | - Haikun Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Pathogen and Immunology of Animal of Luoyang, Luoyang, China
| | - Haoran Fan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Pathogen and Immunology of Animal of Luoyang, Luoyang, China
| | - Jing Zuo
- College of Life Science, Luoyang Normal University, Luoyang, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Yuxin Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Pathogen and Immunology of Animal of Luoyang, Luoyang, China
| | - Yang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Pathogen and Immunology of Animal of Luoyang, Luoyang, China
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9
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Yan J, Gong T, Ma Q, Zheng T, Chen J, Li J, Jing M, Lin Y, Wang X, Lei L, Wang S, Zeng J, Li Y. vicR overexpression in Streptococcus mutans causes aggregation and affects interspecies competition. Mol Oral Microbiol 2023; 38:224-236. [PMID: 36779415 DOI: 10.1111/omi.12407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
Streptococcus mutans is considered to be a major causative agent of dental caries. VicRK is a two-component signal transduction system (TCSTS) of S. mutans, which can regulate the virulence of S. mutans, such as biofilm formation, exopolysaccharide production, acid production, and acid resistance. Meanwhile, it can also regulate the production of mutacins (nlmC) through the TCSTS ComDE. In this study, we found that the vicR-overexpressing strain was more likely to aggregate to form cell clusters, leading to the formation of abnormal biofilm; the overexpression of vicR increased the length of the chain of S. mutans. Furthermore, the expression of the mutacins in the vicR overexpression strain was increased under aerobic conditions. Compared with the control strain and the parental strain, the vicR overexpression strain was more competitive against Streptococcus gordonii. But there was no significant difference against Streptococcus sanguinis. In clinical strains, the expression level of vicR was positively correlated with their competitive ability against S. gordonii. Transcriptional profiling revealed 24 significantly upregulated genes in the vicR-overexpressing strain, including nlmA, nlmB, nlmC, and nlmD encoding mutacins. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and DNase I footprinting assays confirmed that VicR can directly bind to the promoter sequence of nlmD. Taken together, our findings further demonstrate that VicRK, an important TCSTS of S. mutans, is involved in S. mutans cell morphology and biofilm formation. VicRK regulates the production of more mutacins in S. mutans in response to oxygen stimulation. VicR can bind to the promoter sequence of nlmD, thereby directly regulating the production of mutacins NlmD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangchuan Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qizhao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ting Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiamin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Meiling Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yongwang Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaowan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Preventive Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shida Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jumei Zeng
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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10
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Qiu Y, Tan X, Lei Z, Chen X, Chen J, Gong T, Wu Y, Li Y, Huang D. A GntR family transcription factor in Porphyromonas gingivalis regulates bacterial growth, acylpeptidyl oligopeptidase, and gingipains activity. Mol Oral Microbiol 2023; 38:48-57. [PMID: 36349810 DOI: 10.1111/omi.12400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Porphyromonas gingivalis is a keystone pathogen for periodontitis. The function of the GntR family transcription factor is poorly studied in P. gingivalis. Numerous processes govern bacterial growth. The survival and pathogenicity of P. gingivalis depend heavily on its capacity to acquire amino acids as nutritional sources. In this investigation, a GntR transcription factor, pg1007, was identified in P. gingivalis, the deletion of which significantly inhibited bacterial growth. The mutant strain also exhibited an increased extracellular activity of gingipains and acylpeptidyl oligopeptidase (AOP). Global gene expression profiling revealed that the expression levels of 59 genes were significantly altered in the Δpg1007 mutant, with an upregulation in gene expression for AOP, ABC transporters, and some membrane proteins. In addition, His-PG1007 protein was purified as a recombinant protein from Escherichia coli, and the conserved DNA sequence bound by it was determined using electrophoretic mobility shift assays and DNase I footprinting assays. Consequently, this study demonstrated that pg1007 is a crucial transcription factor in P. gingivalis and regulates the bacterial growth and activity of gingipains and AOP. These findings may enhance our understanding of the regulation of bacterial proliferation and protease activity in P. gingivalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuelian Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zixue Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiamin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yajie Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Dingming Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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11
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Abstract
Streptococcus mutans is a primary cariogenic pathogen in humans. Arginine metabolism is required for bacterial growth. In S. mutans, however, the involvement of transcription factors in regulating arginine metabolism is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the function and mechanism of ArgR family transcription factors in S. mutans. Here, we identified an ArgR (arginine repressor) family transcription factor named AhrC, which negatively regulates arginine biosynthesis and biofilm formation in S. mutans. The ahrC in-frame deletion strain exhibited slow growth and significantly increased intracellular arginine content. The strain overexpressing ahrC showed reduced intracellular arginine content, decreased biofilm biomass, reduced production of water-insoluble exopolysaccharides (EPS), and different biofilm structures. Furthermore, global gene expression profiles revealed differential expression levels of 233 genes in the ahrC-deficient strain, among which genes related to arginine biosynthesis (argJ, argB, argC, argD, argF, argG, argH) were significantly upregulated. In the ahrC overexpression strain, there are 89 differentially expressed genes, mostly related to arginine biosynthesis. The conserved DNA patterns bound by AhrC were identified by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and DNase I footprinting. In addition, the analysis of β-galactosidase activity showed that AhrC acted as a negative regulator. Taken together, our findings suggest that AhrC is an important transcription factor that regulates arginine biosynthesis gene expression and biofilm formation in S. mutans. These findings add new aspects to the complexity of regulating the expression of genes involved in arginine biosynthesis and biofilm formation in S. mutans. IMPORTANCE Arginine metabolism is essential for bacterial growth. The regulation of intracellular arginine metabolism in Streptococcus mutans, one of the major pathogens of dental caries, is unclear. In this study, we found that the transcription factor AhrC can directly and negatively regulate the expression of N-acetyl-gamma-glutamyl-phosphate reductase (argC), thus regulating arginine biosynthesis in S. mutans. In addition, the ahrC overexpression strain exhibited a significant decrease in biofilm and water-insoluble extracellular polysaccharides (EPS). This study adds new support to our understanding of the regulation of intracellular arginine metabolism in S. mutans.
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12
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Zou J, Du Q, Ge L, Wang J, Wang X, Li Y, Song G, Zhao W, Chen X, Jiang B, Mei Y, Huang Y, Deng S, Zhang H, Li Y, Zhou X. Expert consensus on early childhood caries management. Int J Oral Sci 2022; 14:35. [PMID: 35835750 PMCID: PMC9283525 DOI: 10.1038/s41368-022-00186-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Early childhood caries (ECC) is a significant chronic disease of childhood and a rising public health burden worldwide. ECC may cause a higher risk of new caries lesions in both primary and permanent dentition, affecting lifelong oral health. The occurrence of ECC has been closely related to the core microbiome change in the oral cavity, which may be influenced by diet habits, oral health management, fluoride use, and dental manipulations. So, it is essential to improve parental oral health and awareness of health care, to establish a dental home at the early stage of childhood, and make an individualized caries management plan. Dental interventions according to the minimally invasive concept should be carried out to treat dental caries. This expert consensus mainly discusses the etiology of ECC, caries-risk assessment of children, prevention and treatment plan of ECC, aiming to achieve lifelong oral health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Centre for Oral Diseases & Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qin Du
- Department of Stomatology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Lihong Ge
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaojing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Guangtai Song
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat‑Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Beizhan Jiang
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Tongji University, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Tooth Restoration and Regeneration, Shanghai, China
| | - Yufeng Mei
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yang Huang
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shuli Deng
- The Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, and Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Yanhong Li
- Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, The Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Xuedong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Centre for Oral Diseases & Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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13
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Yin Y, Tong Y, Yang H, Feng S. EpsR Ac is a copper-sensing MarR family transcriptional repressor from Acidithiobacillus caldus. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:3679-3689. [PMID: 35583698 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-11971-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The MarR family, as multiple antibiotic resistance regulators, is associated with the resistance of organisms to unfavorable conditions. MarR family extracellular polymeric substances (EPS)-associated transcriptional regulator (EpsRAc) was closely associated with copper resistance in Acidithiobacillus caldus (A. caldus). Transcriptional analysis showed high activity of the epsR promoter (PI) in Escherichia coli and differential response to metal ions. The copper content and UV absorption spectrum of the co-purified protein did not increase, but a stoichiometry of 0.667 mol Cu(I) per EpsRAc monomer was observed in vitro in copper titration experiments, suggesting that Cu(II) acts with low affinity in binding to the EpsRAc protein. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) demonstrated that EpsRAc could bind to its own promoter in vitro, and the binding region was the palindrome sequence TGTTCATCGTGTGTGAGCACACA. EpsRAc negatively regulated its own gene expression, whereas Cu(II) mitigates this negative effect. EpsRAc did not bind to other neighboring gene promoters. Finally, we developed a working model to illustrate the regulatory mechanism of A. caldus in response to extreme copper stress. KEY POINTS: • Identification of a MarR family EPS-associated transcriptional regulator, named EpsRAc. • Cu(I) can bind to the EpsRAc protein with low affinity. • EpsRAc negatively regulates the expression of epsR, and Cu(II) can alleviate this negative regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijun Yin
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanjun Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Hailin Yang
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology (Jiangnan University, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Shoushuai Feng
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology (Jiangnan University, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, People's Republic of China.
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14
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Lin Y, Gong T, Ma Q, Jing M, Zheng T, Yan J, Chen J, Pan Y, Sun Q, Zhou X, Li Y. Nicotinamide could reduce growth and cariogenic virulence of Streptococcus mutans. J Oral Microbiol 2022; 14:2056291. [PMID: 35341208 PMCID: PMC8956312 DOI: 10.1080/20002297.2022.2056291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Dental caries is among the most prevalent chronic oral infectious diseases. Streptococcus mutans, a major cariogenic bacterial species, possesses several cariogenicity-associated characteristics, including exopolysaccharides (EPS) synthesis, biofilm formation, acidogenicity, and aciduricity. Nicotinamide (NAM), a form of vitamin B3, is a non-toxic, orally available, and inexpensive compound. The present study investigated the inhibitory effects of NAM on the cariogenic virulence factors of S. mutans in vitro and in vivo. NAM inhibited the growth of S. mutans UA159 and the clinical isolates. In addition, there was a decrease in the acid production and acid tolerance ability, as well as biofilm formation and EPS production of S. mutans after NAM treatment. Global gene expression profiling showed that 128 and 58 genes were significantly downregulated and upregulated, respectively, in NAM-treated S. mutans strains. The differentially expressed genes were mainly associated with carbohydrate transport and metabolism, glycolysis, acid tolerance. Moreover, in a rat caries model, NAM significantly reduced the incidence and severity of smooth and sulcal-surface caries in vivo. NAM exhibited good antimicrobial properties against S. mutans, indicating its potential value for antibiofilm and anti-caries applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongwang Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tao Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qizhao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Meiling Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ting Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiangchuan Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiamin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yangyang Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resources & Eco-environment of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xuedong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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15
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Acetylation of glucosyltransferases regulates Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation and virulence. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1010134. [PMID: 34860858 PMCID: PMC8673623 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Lysine acetylation is a frequently occurring post-translational modification (PTM), emerging as an important metabolic regulatory mechanism in prokaryotes. This process is achieved enzymatically by the protein acetyltransferase (KAT) to specifically transfer the acetyl group, or non-enzymatically by direct intermediates (acetyl phosphate or acetyl-CoA). Although lysine acetylation modification of glucosyltransferases (Gtfs), the important virulence factor in Streptococcus mutans, was reported in our previous study, the KAT has not been identified. Here, we believe that the KAT ActG can acetylate Gtfs in the enzymatic mechanism. By overexpressing 15 KATs in S. mutans, the synthesized water-insoluble extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) and biofilm biomass were measured, and KAT (actG) was identified. The in-frame deletion mutant of actG was constructed to validate the function of actG. The results showed that actG could negatively regulate the water-insoluble EPS synthesis and biofilm formation. We used mass spectrometry (MS) to identify GtfB and GtfC as the possible substrates of ActG. This was also demonstrated by in vitro acetylation assays, indicating that ActG could increase the acetylation levels of GtfB and GtfC enzymatically and decrease their activities. We further found that the expression level of actG in part explained the virulence differences in clinically isolated strains. Moreover, overexpression of actG in S. mutans attenuated its cariogenicity in the rat caries model. Taken together, our study demonstrated that the KAT ActG could induce the acetylation of GtfB and GtfC enzymatically in S. mutans, providing insights into the function of lysine acetylation in bacterial virulence and pathogenicity. Lysine acetylation is a regulatory post-translational modification (PTM) important in physiological processes across all domains of life. Although it has been well studied and characterized in eukaryotes, new insights into the lysine acetylation in bacteria have gained momentum in recent years, and hundreds to thousands of protein acetylation processes have been identified in various bacteria with novel enrichment strategies. However, the specific mechanisms of regulating lysine acetylation and function are still poorly understood. Therefore, we screened for the KAT mediating Gtfs acetylation by constructing 15 strains of S. mutans that overexpressed the GCN5-related N-acetyltransferases (GNAT) family members. Eventually, we identified and characterized ActG, a GNAT family member, that could catalyze the acetylation of GtfB and GtfC in S. mutans by the enzymatic mechanism, inversely related to their enzymatic activities, subsequently affecting the water-insoluble EPS synthesis and biofilm formation. In addition, ActG impaired the cariogenicity of S. mutans in a rat caries model. Thus, this study provides significant insights into the effect of lysine acetylation on S. mutans virulence and pathogenicity by regulating target protein functions and relative physiological processes.
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16
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Zheng T, Jing M, Gong T, Yan J, Zeng J, Li Y. Deletion of the yqeK gene leads to the accumulation of Ap4A and reduced biofilm formation in Streptococcus mutans. Mol Oral Microbiol 2021; 37:9-21. [PMID: 34761536 DOI: 10.1111/omi.12356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Diadenosine-5',5'''-P1, P4-tetraphosphate (Ap4A) is a second messenger playing a crucial role in various life activities of bacteria. The increase of Ap4A expression is pleiotropic, resulting in an impairment in the formation of biofilm and other physiological functions in some bacteria. However, Ap4A function in Streptococcus mutans, an important pathogen related to dental caries, remains unknown. In this work, the Ap4A hydrolase, YqeK, was identified and characterized in S. mutans. Then, the effects of yqeK deletion on the growth, biofilm formation, and exopolysaccharide (EPS) quantification in S. mutans were determined by the assessment of the growth curve, crystal violet, and anthrone-sulfuric acid, respectively, and visualized by microscopy. The results showed that the in-frame deletion of the yqeK gene in S. mutans UA159 led to an increase in Ap4A levels, lag phase in the early growth, as well as decrease in biofilm formation and water-insoluble exopolysaccharide production. Global gene expression profile showed that the expression of 88 genes was changed in the yqeK mutant, and among these, 42 were upregulated and 46 were downregulated when compared with the wild-type S. mutans UA159. Upregulated genes were mainly involved in post-translational modification, protein turnover, and chaperones, while downregulated genes were mainly involved in carbohydrate transport and metabolism. Important virulence genes related to biofilms, such as gtfB, gtfC, and gbpC, were also significantly downregulated. In conclusion, these results indicated that YqeK affected the formation of biofilms and the expression of biofilm-related genes in S. mutans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Meiling Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tao Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiangchuan Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jumei Zeng
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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17
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Optimised Heterologous Expression and Functional Analysis of the Yersinia pestis F1-Capsular Antigen Regulator Caf1R. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22189805. [PMID: 34575967 PMCID: PMC8470410 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial pathogen, Yersinia pestis, has caused three historic pandemics and continues to cause small outbreaks worldwide. During infection, Y. pestis assembles a capsule-like protective coat of thin fibres of Caf1 subunits. This F1 capsular antigen has attracted much attention due to its clinical value in plague diagnostics and anti-plague vaccine development. Expression of F1 is tightly regulated by a transcriptional activator, Caf1R, of the AraC/XylS family, proteins notoriously prone to aggregation. Here, we have optimised the recombinant expression of soluble Caf1R. Expression from the native and synthetic codon-optimised caf1R cloned in three different expression plasmids was examined in a library of E. coli host strains. The functionality of His-tagged Caf1R was demonstrated in vivo, but insolubility was a problem with overproduction. High levels of soluble MBP-Caf1R were produced from codon optimised caf1R. Transcriptional-lacZ reporter fusions defined the PM promoter and Caf1R binding site responsible for transcription of the cafMA1 operon. Use of the identified Caf1R binding caf DNA sequence in an electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) confirmed correct folding and functionality of the Caf1R DNA-binding domain in recombinant MBP-Caf1R. Availability of functional recombinant Caf1R will be a valuable tool to elucidate control of expression of F1 and Caf1R-regulated pathophysiology of Y. pestis.
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Wang Z, Zhou Y, Han Q, Ye X, Chen Y, Sun Y, Liu Y, Zou J, Qi G, Zhou X, Cheng L, Ren B. Synonymous point mutation of gtfB gene caused by therapeutic X-rays exposure reduced the biofilm formation and cariogenic abilities of Streptococcus mutans. Cell Biosci 2021; 11:91. [PMID: 34001238 PMCID: PMC8130306 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-021-00608-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The shift of oral microbiota is a critical factor of radiation caries in head and neck cancer patients after the radiotherapy. However, the direct effects of irradiation on the genome and virulence of cariogenic bacteria are poorly described. Here we investigated the genomic mutations and virulence change of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), the major cariogenic bacteria, exposed to the therapeutic doses of X-rays. RESULTS X-ray reduced the survival fraction of S. mutans and impacted its biofilm formation. We isolated a biofilm formation-deficient mutant #858 whose genome only possessed three synonymous mutations (c.2043 T > C, c.2100C > T, c.2109A > G) in gtfB gene. The "silent mutation" of c.2043 T > C in gtfB gene can cause the down-regulation of all of the gtfs genes' expression and decrease the GtfB enzyme secretion without the effect on the growth due to the codon bias. #858 and synonymous point mutation strain gtfB 2043 T>C, similar to the gtfB gene null mutant Δ gtfB, can significantly decrease the extracellular polysaccharide production, biofilm formation and cariogenic capabilities both in vitro and in vivo compared with wild type. CONCLUSION The direct exposure of X-ray radiation can affect the genome and virulence of oral bacteria even at therapeutic doses. The synonymous mutations of genome are negligent factors for gene expression and related protein translation due to the codon usage frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.,Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yujie Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.,Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Qi Han
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xingchen Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yanyan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.,Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.,Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yaqi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.,Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jing Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.,Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Guohai Qi
- Radiotherapy Center, Sichuan Cancer Hospital, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xuedong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China. .,Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Lei Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China. .,Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Biao Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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