Relationship of Streptococcus mutans bacteriocin production with formation of biofilm

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25463178
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Orthodontics/Pediatric dentistry
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Nagayama Kayoko 大阪大学, 歯学研究科(研究院), 招へい教員 (80546979)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NAKANO Michiyo 岡山大学, 大学院医歯薬学総合研究科, 教授 (30359848)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: Streptococcus mutans / バクテリオシン / バイオフィルム / う蝕 / 口腔内細菌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Streptococcus mutans, known as a primary causative agent of dental caries, produces bacteriocins that inhibit the growth of similar or closely related oral bacteria. The purpose of the present study was to examine the functions of 2 peptide bacteriocins, SmbA and NlmA, as well as the correlation between production of bacteriocin and biofilm formation. The amount of bacteriocin produced by an SmbA-deficient mutant strain was lower as compared to that by an NlmA-deficient mutant strain, while biofilm formation by NlmA-deficient mutant strain was lower than that by the SmbA-deficient mutant strain. In addition, both bacteriocin production and biofilm formation were altered in the presence of Streptococcus gordonii. These results suggest that the presence of strains prossessing bacteriocins, such as SmbA and NlmA may be dominant in biofilm due to their effects on other oral streptococci. In addition, bacteriocins might have a role in competition with other oral streptococci.

Free Research Field

小児歯科学