title: The anti-biofouling effect of Lactobacillus fermentum-derived biosurfactant against Streptococcus mutans.
abstract: Biofouling in the oral cavity often causes serious problems. The ability of Streptococcus mutans to synthesize extracellular glucans from sucrose using glucosyltransferases (gtfs) is vital for the initiation and progression of dental caries. Recently, it was demonstrated that some biological compounds, such as secondary metabolites of probiotic bacteria, have an anti-biofouling effect. In this study, S. mutans was investigated for the anti-biofouling effect of Lactobacillus fermentum (L.f.)-derived biosurfactant. It was hypothesized that two enzymes produced by S. mutans, glucosyltransferases B and C, would be inhibited by the L.f.-biosurfactant. When these two enzymes were inhibited, fewer biofilms (or none) were formed. RNA was extracted from a 48-h biofilm of S. mutans formed in the presence or absence of L.f. biosurfactant, and the gene expression level of gtfB/C was quantified using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). L.f. biosurfactant showed substantial anti-biofouling activity because it reduced the process of attachment and biofilm production and also showed a reduction in gtfB/C gene expression (P value < 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Khorasgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran. atahmoures@khuisf.ac.ir
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tahmourespour
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Kermanshahi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eslami
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D052197:Limosilactobacillus fermentum / Q000737:chemistry*; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C036655:1,3-alpha-D-glucan synthase; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; C110463:glucosyltransferase C