Porphyromonas gingivalis Tyrosine Kinase Is a Fitness Determinant in Polymicrobial Infections

Abstract

Many pathogenic microbial ecosystems are polymicrobial, and community function can be shaped by interbacterial interactions. Little is known, however, regarding the genetic determinants required for fitness in heterotypic community environments.

Impact of Polymicrobial Infection on Fitness of Streptococcus gordonii In Vivo

“…Conditional gene essentiality of bacteria in communities, therefore, would appear to be highly dependent on context. For example, a comparison of the P. gingivalis genes essential for coinfection with S. gordonii or with Fusobacterium nucleatum revealed only two in common ( 31 ). Community partner-dependent changes in fitness determinants reinforce the basis of current concepts of periodontal disease etiology, whereby certain species, even in low abundance, can have a major influence on community pathogenicity ( 51 ).…”

“…Effective neutrophil responses are important both to maintain immunity at densely populated gingival surfaces and for clearance of microbes that gain systemic access. P. gingivalis and S. gordonii are synergistically pathogenic both in murine models of periodontal disease ( 15 , 22 ) and in abscesses ( 13 , 31 ). In the current study, we found that P. gingivalis could enhance the survival of S. gordonii in a murine abscess model, although this synergy was not strictly dependent on P. gingivalis -mediated disruption of neutrophil functions.…”

“…While much is known regarding the outcome of interspecies interactions, less information is available regarding the genes that confer fitness in P. gingivalis or S. gordonii in coinfections. Our previous work using a transposon sequencing (Tn-Seq) library of P. gingivalis found that genes impacting fitness with S. gordonii included those involved in metabolism and energy production, along with cell wall and membrane biogenesis ( 31 ). The tyrosine kinase Ptk1 was also essential for coinfections with both S. gordonii and F. nucleatum ( 31 ).…”

“…Our previous work using a transposon sequencing (Tn-Seq) library of P. gingivalis found that genes impacting fitness with S. gordonii included those involved in metabolism and energy production, along with cell wall and membrane biogenesis ( 31 ). The tyrosine kinase Ptk1 was also essential for coinfections with both S. gordonii and F. nucleatum ( 31 ). In the current study, we generated a Tn-Seq library in S. gordonii to identify genes which increase or decrease fitness in a coinfection with P. gingivalis .…”

Frankincense (Boswellia serrata) Extract Effects on Growth and Biofilm Formation of Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Its Intracellular Infection in Human Gingival Epithelial Cells

“…Interestingly, P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum use different mechanisms to modulate the host immune response and contribute to biofilm formation and dissemination [13][14][15][16]. P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum are intracellular pathogens and have been described to evade the host immune response via several virulence factors [9,14,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22].…”