Abstract:Streptococcus mutans is the primary etiological agent of dental caries and causes tooth decay by forming a firmly attached biofilm on tooth surfaces. Biofilm formation is induced by the presence of sucrose, which is a substrate for the synthesis of extracellular polysaccharides but not in the presence of oligosaccharides. Nonetheless, in this study, we found that raffinose, which is an oligosaccharide with an intestinal regulatory function and antiallergic effect, induced biofilm formation by S. mutans in a mi… Show more
“…Interestingly, exogenous raffinose has recently been shown to promote biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans by promoting aggregation of extracellular DNA into the biofilm matrix. Biofilm formation was unaffected by deletion of the α-galactosidase gene agaL , indicating that the effect was unrelated to metabolism of any internalized raffinose (22). Thus, it is conceivable that the reduced capacity of S.…”
S. pneumoniae is a component of the commensal nasopharyngeal microflora of humans, but from this reservoir, it can progress to localized or invasive disease with a frequency that translates into massive global morbidity and mortality. However, the factors that govern the switch from commensal to pathogen, as well as those that determine disease tropism, are poorly understood. Here we show that capacity to utilize raffinose can determine the nature of the disease caused by a given pneumococcal strain. Moreover, our findings provide an interesting example of convergent evolution, whereby pneumococci belonging to two unrelated serotypes/lineages exhibit SNPs in separate genes affecting raffinose uptake and utilization that correlate with distinct pathogenic profiles in vivo. This further underscores the critical role of differential carbohydrate metabolism in the pathogenesis of localized versus invasive pneumococcal disease.
“…Interestingly, exogenous raffinose has recently been shown to promote biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans by promoting aggregation of extracellular DNA into the biofilm matrix. Biofilm formation was unaffected by deletion of the α-galactosidase gene agaL , indicating that the effect was unrelated to metabolism of any internalized raffinose (22). Thus, it is conceivable that the reduced capacity of S.…”
S. pneumoniae is a component of the commensal nasopharyngeal microflora of humans, but from this reservoir, it can progress to localized or invasive disease with a frequency that translates into massive global morbidity and mortality. However, the factors that govern the switch from commensal to pathogen, as well as those that determine disease tropism, are poorly understood. Here we show that capacity to utilize raffinose can determine the nature of the disease caused by a given pneumococcal strain. Moreover, our findings provide an interesting example of convergent evolution, whereby pneumococci belonging to two unrelated serotypes/lineages exhibit SNPs in separate genes affecting raffinose uptake and utilization that correlate with distinct pathogenic profiles in vivo. This further underscores the critical role of differential carbohydrate metabolism in the pathogenesis of localized versus invasive pneumococcal disease.
“…So far, what has been described in the literature in relation to ROF components raffinose-induced biofilm formation by S . mutans in a mixed culture with sucrose [ 27 ]. Further, it has been reported that contribute to the extracellular polysaccharides production in some oral bacteria [ 28 ].…”
Apical periodontitis is frequently associated with the presence of bacteria biofilm, which has an indisputable impact on the prognosis of endodontic therapy due to the high resistance to adverse environmental conditions, chemicals, and antibiotic therapy that characterize bacteria within biofilm. The biofilm matrix acts as a protective shield over the encased microorganisms. The aim of this investigation was to identify the main biochemical components of biofilm matrix from endodontic mono- and dual-species biofilms. Enterococcus faecalis and Actinomyces naeslundii were cultured as mono- and dual-species biofilms for 14 days. Crude extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) from biofilm matrices were extracted using chemical and physical methods. High-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, and mass spectrometry were used to determine the carbohydrate, protein, and fatty acid components. Chemical analysis of the biofilm matrices revealed that they were mainly composed of stachyose, maltose, and mannose carbohydrates. The protein profile in all biofilm samples showed abundant oxidoreductases and chaperone proteins and some virulence- associated proteins mainly located in the membrane surface. High percentages of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were identified in all biofilm matrices, with a major prevalence of palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids. Based on the results, it was possible to obtain for the first time a general overview of the biochemical profile of endodontic biofilm matrices.
“…Inulin is known to be an important part of the biofilm produced by oral Streptococcus mutans , and inulin accumulating in dental plaques is hydrolysed when environmental carbon sources are scarce, which in turn may cause dental carries in the long run (Krzyściak, Jurczak, Kościelniak, Bystrowska, & Skalniak, ). Nagasawa, Sato, and Senpuku () studied the effects of sucrose and raffinose, a trisaccharide composed of ᴅ‐galactose, ᴅ‐glucose, and ᴅ‐fructose, on biofilm formation of S. mutans, and found that at sucrose concentrations insufficient to induce biofilm formation, raffinose contributed to biofilm structure by increasing aggregation of eDNA while also being a substrate for raffinose‐based inulin production. Because the ᴅ‐glucose moiety in raffinose is located between the other two monosaccharides, glucosyltransferase enzymes cannot use raffinose as donor substrate to synthesize glucans.…”
Fructans are multifunctional fructose-based water soluble carbohydrates found in all biological kingdoms but not in animals. Most research has focused on plant and microbial fructans and has received a growing interest because of their practical applications. Nevertheless, the origin of fructan production, the so-called "fructan syndrome," is still unknown. Why fructans only occur in a limited number of plant and microbial species remains unclear. In this review, we provide an overview of plant and microbial fructan research with a focus on fructans as an adaptation to the environment and their role in (a)biotic stress tolerance. The taxonomical and biogeographical distribution of fructans in both kingdoms is discussed and linked (where possible) to environmental factors. Overall, the fructan syndrome may be related to water scarcity and differences in physicochemical properties, for instance, water retaining characteristics, at least partially explain why different fructan types with different branching levels are found in different species.Although a close correlation between environmental stresses and fructan production is quite clear in plants, this link seems to be missing in microbes. We hypothesize that this can be at least partially explained by differential evolutionary timeframes for plants and microbes, combined with potential redundancy effects.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.