Expression of the short fimbriae of Porphyromonas gingivalis is regulated in oral bacterial consortia.
The Mfa1 protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis is the structural subunit of the short fimbriae and mediates coadhesion between P. gingivalis and Streptococcus gordonii. We utilized a promoter-lacZ reporter construct to examine the regulation of mfa1 expression in consortia with common oral plaque bacteria. Promoter activity of mfa1 was inhibited by S. gordonii, Streptococcus sanguinis and Streptococcus mitis. In contrast, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus cristatus, Actinomyces naeslundii, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Fusobacterium nucleatum did not affect mfa1 expression. Expression of SspA/B, the streptococcal receptor for Mfa1, was not required for regulation of mfa1 promoter activity. Proteinaceous molecule(s) in oral streptococci may be responsible for regulation of Mfa1 expression. Porphyromonas gingivalis is capable of detecting heterologous organisms, and responds to selected organisms by specific gene regulation.
Park
Yoonsuk
Y
Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. ypark@dental.ufl.edu
James
Chloe E
CE
Yoshimura
Fuminobu
F
Lamont
Richard J
RJ
D000190:Actinomyces / Q000502:physiology; D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000502:physiology; D019677:Artificial Gene Fusion; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016967:Fusobacterium nucleatum / Q000502:physiology; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D007763:Lac Operon; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000502:physiology; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000502:physiology; D024363:Transcription Initiation Site; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; C082314:SspA protein, bacteria; C068465:salivary agglutinin receptor, Streptocococcus; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins; D001616:beta-Galactosidase