Coaggregation of Streptococcus salivarius with periodontopathogens: evidence for involvement of fimbriae in the interaction with Prevotella intermedia.
Streptococcus salivarius is divided into two serological subgroups that carry either fibrils or fimbriae. Although fimbriae have been observed on up to 50% of S. salivarius strains in the human oral cavity, no function has yet been assigned to them. To determine whether S. salivarius fimbriae have a role in adhesion, we examined the ability of S. salivarius to coaggregate with selected microorganisms involved in periodontal diseases. Our results show that S. salivarius coaggregated with Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Prevotella intermedia. However, only fimbriated S. salivarius cells were able to coaggregate with P. intermedia, suggesting a specific role for these structures in the interaction. Heat treatment, sensitivity to sugars, amino acids, and EDTA, as well as protease treatment were also used to further characterize coaggregation between S. salivarius and periodontopathogens.
Lévesque
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Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Buccale (GREB), Faculté de Médecine Dentaire and Département de Biochimie et de Microbiologie, Université Laval, Québec City, Canada.
Lamothe
J
J
Frenette
M
M
D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000502:physiology; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002206:Capnocytophaga / Q000502:physiology; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000494:pharmacology; D005051:Eubacterium / Q000502:physiology; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016967:Fusobacterium nucleatum / Q000502:physiology; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D017861:Porphyromonas / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000502:physiology; D018720:Prevotella / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology; D018713:Prevotella intermedia / Q000502:physiology*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D000596:Amino Acids; D002241:Carbohydrates; D002614:Chelating Agents; D004492:Edetic Acid; D010450:Endopeptidases