Characteristics of multimodal co‐aggregation between Fusobacterium nucleatum and streptococci

Abstract

The co-aggregation characteristics between Fusobacterium nucleatum and streptococci were examined to clarify the adherence factors participating in the co-aggregation. Nineteen strains of F. nucleatum were classified into 8 groups according to co-aggregation titer and inhibition by L-arginine, L-lysine and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (or lactose). The inhibition activity was, however, very different from strain to strain. With two fusobacterial strains, two inhibitors, which were both inhibition negative on their own, completely inhibited the co-aggregation when used together in a mixture. In some co-aggregation pairs, the protease treatment of F. nucleatum inactivated one of the adherence factors, and resulted in the change of inhibition characteristics. These results indicate the multimodal co-aggregation of F. nucleatum with streptococci mediated by L-arginine-sensitive, L-lysine-sensitive, N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-sensitive and in some resistant factors, and that the adherence factor or factors participating the co-aggregation change according to the co-aggregation partners.

Autoaggregation Response of Fusobacterium nucleatum

“…We also examined coaggregation between 25586 and several species of oral Streptococcus under the same conditions and found that 50 mM lysine was similarly able to inhibit the ability of this strain to bind to other species (data not shown). These results were consistent with a previous study that suggested lysine functions as a streptococcal coaggregation inhibitor for 25586 (38). Therefore, in 25586 it is likely that either the same adhesin is responsible for autoaggregation as well as coaggregation with Streptococcus or two separate adhesins are both inhibited by lysine.…”

“…Certainly, strainspecific differences in genetic content may also account for differences in autoaggregation. Surprisingly, we found autoaggregation in 25586 to be inhibited by lysine, similar to its coaggregation with streptococci (38). In addition, our microarray data suggest that autoaggregation impacts the expression of a large number of genes in a relatively short time frame.…”

“…The evidence suggests that strain specificity dictates adhesive properties and thus which coaggregation inhibitors are effective (38,40). Also, some strains of F. nucleatum are sensitive to different inhibitors, which suggests that more than one adhesin may be utilized within a given strain (38,40).…”

Fusobacterium nucleatum Transports Noninvasive Streptococcus cristatus into Human Epithelial Cells

“…Likewise, F. nucleatum is able to adhere to a wide range of other oral bacteria (coaggregation), including both early (Actinomyces spp., Streptococcus spp.) (16,48,52) and late (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola) (21,22,48) colonizers. The interaction of F. nucleatum with host cells or other bacteria is often inhibited by lactose (or galactose) (14,22,30,48) or L-arginine (6,20,27,51,52,58).…”

Identification and Characterization of a Novel Adhesin Unique to Oral Fusobacteria

“…Identification of the adhesin molecules on F. nucleatum is thus essential for understanding its pathogenesis. It has been suggested that F. nucleatum possesses both lectin-like and non-lectin-like adhesins (44,49,54,58,60,61). Three components, a 40-to 42-kDa major outer membrane porin protein (FomA) and 39.5-kDa and 30-kDa polypeptides, have been suggested as possible adhesins from F. nucleatum that are involved in interbacterial coaggregation (33,34,55).…”