title: Role of urease enzymes in stability of a 10-species oral biofilm consortium cultivated in a constant-depth film fermenter.
abstract: Using a 10-species oral biofilm consortium and defined mutants, we show that high-level capacity to generate ammonia from a common salivary substrate is needed to maintain community diversity. This model appears to be suitable for the study of the effects of individual genetic determinants on the ecology of oral biofilms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida College of Dentistry, Gainesville, Florida 32610-0424, USA.
authors.forename: Man
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Browngardt
authors.forename: Yi-Ywan M
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Burne
mesh_terms: D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D017753:Ecosystem; D006801:Humans; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D014510:Urease / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014510:Urease