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In silico analysis of the competition between Streptococcus sanguinis and Streptococcus mutans in the dental biofilm
Author(s) -
Valdebenito B.,
TullumeVergara P.O.,
González W.,
Kreth J.,
Giacaman R.A.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
molecular oral microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.18
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 2041-1014
pISSN - 2041-1006
DOI - 10.1111/omi.12209
Subject(s) - streptococcus sanguinis , streptococcus mutans , biofilm , microbiology and biotechnology , competition (biology) , biology , dental plaque , bacteria , genetics , ecology
Summary During dental caries, the dental biofilm modifies the composition of the hundreds of involved bacterial species. Changing environmental conditions influence competition. A pertinent model to exemplify the complex interplay of the microorganisms in the human dental biofilm is the competition between Streptococcus sanguinis and Streptococcus mutans . It has been reported that children and adults harbor greater numbers of S. sanguinis in the oral cavity, associated with caries‐free teeth. Conversely, S. mutans is predominant in individuals with a high number of carious lesions. Competition between both microorganisms stems from the production of H 2 O 2 by S. sanguinis and mutacins, a type of bacteriocins, by S. mutans . There is limited evidence on how S. sanguinis survives its own H 2 O 2 levels, or if it has other mechanisms that might aid in the competition against S. mutans , nonetheless. We performed a genomic and metabolic pathway comparison, coupled with a comprehensive literature review, to better understand the competition between these two species. Results indicated that S. sanguinis can outcompete S. mutans by the production of an enzyme capable of metabolizing H 2 O 2 . S. mutans , however, lacks the enzyme and is susceptible to the peroxide from S. sanguinis . In addition, S. sanguinis can generate energy through gluconeogenesis and seems to have evolved different communication mechanisms, indicating that novel proteins may be responsible for intra‐species communication.