The growth mechanism of Porphyromonas gingivalis, a member of periodontpathic bacteria, via incorporation of dipeptides.

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K09557
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57020:Oral pathobiological science-related
• Research Institution: Iwate Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Shimoyama Yu 岩手医科大学, 歯学部, 准教授 (90453331)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 根本 優子 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(歯学系), 客員研究員 (10164667) ; 木村 重信 関西女子短期大学, その他部局等, 教授 (10177917) ; 石河 太知 岩手医科大学, 歯学部, 講師 (10569247) ; 佐々木 大輔 岩手医科大学, 歯学部, 准教授 (30453327) ; 佐々木 実 岩手医科大学, 歯学部, 教授 (40187133)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: P. gingivalis / ジペプチジルぺプチダーゼ / 歯周病

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a Gram-negative anaerobes, is important pathogen associated with chronic periodontitis. This bacterium has no ability to metabolize carbohydorate, and its growth depends on peptide metabolism. These utilized peptides are uptake into bacterial cells as dipeptides or tripeptides. Therefore, it is presumed that several proteases and peptidases that efficiently cleave extracellular proteins and peptides are required. In this study we demonstrated proton-dependent oligopeptide transporter (Pot) was the major transporter to incorporate of dipeptides released by DPPs. In immunoelectron microscopy analysis, the DPPs were located in periplasmic space. On the other hand, Pot was located in inner membrane. These results explain the metabolism pathway that oligopeptides are converted to dipeptides by DPPs in the periplasmic space, and then, dipeptides are readily transported through the inner membrane via dipeptide transporter Pot for nutrition source of P. gingivalis.

Free Research Field

口腔微生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

歯周病の罹患率は高く、この主たる原因菌であるP. gingivalis は口腔だけでなく全身の疾患と強く関連することが複数報告されているため，本菌の感染予防は重要な課題である．しかしながら，P. gingivalis の生育機構は明確になされていなかった．本研究成果は，P. gingivalis の生育機構の一端を明らかにしたもので，この成果は本菌を標的とした創薬のターゲットとなり得るものと考える．