Research Updates: Cariogenic Mechanism of Streptococcus mutans

CHEN Dong-ru, LIN Huan-cai

Abstract

The prevalence of dental caries remains high, posing a major burden on the public health of the global society. Microorganisms are the main cause of dental caries, among which Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is one of the most widely recognized cariogenic bacteria. In recent years, the progress in research technology enabled the academic circle to conduct more in-depth research into caries-inducing S. mutans at the DNA, RNA and protein levels, and to gain thereby a new understanding of the surface structure and extracellular matrix composition of S. mutans. In this paper, we summarized recent findings on the cariogenic mechanism of S. mutans in order to help reveal more targets and potential approaches for the future development of caries prevention agents that target S. mutans, and to promote the development of dental caries prevention campaign.

 

Keywords: Dental caries, Cariogenic bacteria, Streptococcus mutans, Cariogenic mechanism, Caries prevention

 

Full Text:

PDF


References


GBD 2016 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 328 diseases and injuries for 195 countries, 1990-2016: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. Lancet， 2017，390(10100): 1211–1259.

RIGHOLT A J， JEVDJEVIC M， MARCENES W， et al. Global-, regional-, and country-level economic impacts of dental diseases in 2015. J Dent Res，2018，97(5): 501–507.

FAKHRUDDIN K S， NGO H C， SAMARANAYAKE L P. Cariogenic microbiome and microbiota of the early primary dentition: A contemporary overview. Oral Dis，2019，25(4): 982–995.

HAJISHENGALLIS E， PARSAEI Y， KLEIN M I， et al. Advances in the microbial etiology and pathogenesis of early childhood caries. Mol Oral Microbiol，2017，32(1): 24–34.

TAKAHASHI N， NYVAD B. The role of bacteria in the caries process: Ecological perspectives. J Dent Res，2011，90(3): 294–303.

HORIUCHI M， WASHIO J， MAYANAGI H， et al. Transient acid-impairment of growth ability of oral Streptococcus, Actinomyces, and Lactobacillus: A possible ecological determinant in dental plaque a possible ecological determinant in dental plaque. Oral Microbiol Immunol， 2009，24(4): 319–324.

KRZYSCIAK W， JURCZAK A， KOSCIELNIAK D， et al. The virulence of Streptococcus mutans and the ability to form biofilms to form biofilms. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis，2014，33(4): 499–515.

KLEIN M I， HWANG G， SANTOS P H， et al. Streptococcus mutans-derived extracellular matrix in cariogenic oral biofilms. Front Cell Infect Microbiol， 2015， 5: 10[2021-02-17].https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2015. 00010.

LEMOS J A， PALMER S R， ZENG L， et al. The Biology of Streptococcus mutans. Microbiol Spectr， 2019， 7(1): 10.1128/microbiolspec.GPP3-0051-2018[2021-02-17]. https://doi.org/10.1128/microbiolspec.GPP3-0051–2018.

XIAO J， KLEIN M I， FALSETTA M L， et al. The exopolysaccharide matrix modulates the interaction between 3D architecture and virulence of a mixed-species oral biofilm. PLoS Pathog， 2012， 8(4): e1002623[2021-02-17].https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1002623.

GUAN N， LIU L. Microbial response to acid stress: mechanisms and applications. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol，2020，104(1): 51–65.

PENG X， ZHANG Y， BAI G， et al. Cyclic di-AMP mediates biofilm formation. Mol Microbiol，2016，99(5): 945–959.

MOSTERD C， MOINEAU S. Characterization of a Type Ⅱ-A CRISPR-Cas System in Streptococcus mutans. mSphere， 2020， 5(3): e00235−20[2021-02-17]. https://doi.org/10.1128/mSphere.00235–20.

HU X， WANG Y， GAO L， et al. The impairment of methyl metabolism from luxS mutation of Streptococcus mutans. Front Microbiol， 2018， 9: 404[2021-02-17]. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2018.00404.

LIU S， WEI Y， ZHOU X， et al. Function of alanine racemase in the physiological activity and cariogenicity of Streptococcus mutans. Sci Rep， 2018，8(1): 5984.

WERLANG C A， CHEN W G， AOKI K， et al. Mucin O-glycans suppress quorum-sensing pathways and genetic transformation in Streptococcus mutans. Nat Microbiol，2021，6(5): 574–583.

LIAO S， BITOUN J P， NGUYEN A H， et al. Deficiency of PdxR in Streptococcus mutans affects vitamin B6 metabolism, acid tolerance response and biofilm formation. Mol Oral Microbiol，2015，30(4): 255–268.

TANG B， GONG T， ZHOU X， et al. Deletion of cas3 gene in Streptococcus mutans affects biofilm formation and increases fluoride sensitivity. Arch Oral Biol，2019，99: 190–197.

WEN Z T， SCOTT-ANNE K， LIAO S， et al. Deficiency of BrpA in Streptococcus mutans reduces virulence in rat caries model. Mol Oral Microbiol，2018，33(5): 353–363.

AHN S J， RICE K C. Understanding the Streptococcus mutans Cid/Lrg system through CidB function. Appl Environ Microbiol，2016，82(20): 6189–6203.

KHARA P， BISWAS S， BISWAS I. Induction of clpP expression by cell-wall targeting antibiotics in Streptococcus mutans. Microbiology (Reading)，2020，166(7): 641–653.

ZU Y， LI W， WANG Q， et al. ComDE two-component signal transduction systems in oral Streptococci: Structure and function. Curr Issues Mol Biol，2019，32: 201–258.

XIANG Z， LI Z， REN Z， et al. EzrA, a cell shape regulator contributing to biofilm formation and competitiveness in Streptococcus mutans. Mol Oral Microbiol，2019，34(5): 194–208.

KOVACS C J， FAUSTOFERRI R C， QUIVEY R J. RgpF is required for maintenance of stress tolerance and virulence in Streptococcus mutans. J Bacteriol， 2017， 199(24): e00497−17[2021-02-17]. https://doi.org/10. 1128/JB.00497-17.

SHANKAR M， HOSSAIN M S， BISWAS I. Pleiotropic regulation of virulence genes in Streptococcus mutans by the conserved small protein SprV. J Bacteriol， 2017， 199(8): e00847−16[2021-02-17]. https://doi.org/ 10.1128/JB.00847-16.

LEI L， LONG L， YANG X， et al. The VicRK two-component system regulates Streptococcus mutans virulence. Curr Issues Mol Biol，2019，32: 167–200.

ZENG L， BURNE R A. Essential roles of the sppRA fructose-phosphate phosphohydrolase operon in carbohydrate metabolism and virulence expression by Streptococcus mutans. J Bacteriol， 2019， 201(2):


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.