title: Use of quantitative PCR and culture methods to characterize ecological flux in bacterial biofilms.
abstract: An in vitro model of supragingival plaque associated with gingivitis was characterized by traditional culture techniques, comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing of isolates, and quantitative PCR (QPCR). Actinomyces naeslundii, Prevotella spp., and Porphyromonas gingivalis increased under conditions emulating gingivitis. Gram-negative species and total bacteria were dramatically underestimated by culture compared to the estimates obtained by QPCR.
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbial Diseases, UCL Eastman Dental Institute, 256 Gray's Inn Road, London, United Kingdom. f.dalwai@eastman.ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dalwai
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Spratt
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pratten
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D018441:Biofilms; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000379:methods; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S