title: Oral flora in the age of molecular biology.
abstract: The present work describes the fundamental aspects of the molecular methods that are applied to oral microbiology: probes, PCR, multiple real time PCR, 16S rDNA, and proteomics. Likewise, it presents the results obtained by applying these methods to the study of the bacterial flora encountered inside the mouth. By identifying 16S rDNA, up to 132 known species and 215 new, unknown phylotypes have been detected inside patients s periodontal pockets. We are currently using a commercial system based on multiple PCR (genomic amplification), followed by reverse hybridization to detect the five species known to cause periodontal disease. We also summarize the findings derived from the application of proteomic techniques to the study of odontologic infections pathogenesis and from the use of molecular methods in the study of resistance to antimicrobial agents. Finally, it puts forth the problems that remain unsolved with respect to oral flora and the treatment of odontogenic infections. Traditional culture methods continue to be indispensable, as they make it possible to later work with the cultured microorganisms.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología, Facultades de Medicina y Odontología, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla. epereap@us.es
authors.forename: Evelio J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Perea
mesh_terms: D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018441:Biofilms; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018713:Prevotella intermedia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D040901:Proteomics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000032:analysis; D048373:Treponema denticola / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S