A strain of Streptococcus mitis inhibits biofilm formation of caries pathogens via abundant hydrogen peroxide production
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ABSTRACT: Our group recently transcriptomically characterized coculture growth between Streptococcus mutans and several species of commensal streptococci (Rose et al, 2023; Choi et al 2024). One interaction that stood out was with Streptococcus mitis ATCC 49456, which completely inhibited the growth of S. mutans during biofilm formation. This is due to abudant hydrogen peroxide production by S. mitis ATCC 49456, 3-5x higher than other oral commensal streptococci we have worked with. To understand how the transcriptome of S. mutans is modified in coculture with a high hydrogen peroxide producer, we evaluated the transcriptome during monoculture or coculture growth between the two strains. Our results show differential gene expression (DEGs) in S. mutans that follows other trends we have documented previously with other commensal Streptococcus species, as well as DEGs specific to the interaction with S. mitis.
Project description:RNA-Seq was used to compare the transcriptome of Streptococcus mutans UA159 during growth alone in monoculture, in coculture with Streptococcus gordonii DL1, Streptococcus sanguinis SK36 or Streptococcus oralis 34, and in a quadculture containing all four species. Individual cultures of commensal species Streptococcus gordonii DL1, Streptococcus sanguinis SK36 and Streptococcus oralis 34 were sequenced as well. This revealed a common transcriptome pattern in S. mutans when grown in mixed-species culture, indepenedent of the species identity that S. mutans was cultured with. Additionally, transcriptome changes in the commensal species could also be determined when undergoing competition from S. mutans. RNA-Seq was used to compare the transcriptome of Streptococcus mutans UA159 during growth alone in monoculture or in coculture with Streptococcus sobrinus NIDR 6715, Lactobacillus casei ATCC 4646 or Corynebacterium matruchotii ATCC 14266. These data were compared to previous coculture and quadculture RNA-Seq data with commensal streptococci (GSE209925). These data confirmed a common transcriptome pattern in S. mutans when grown in mixed-species culture with commensal streptococci that is not present with non-commensal streptococci, indepenedent of the species identity that S. mutans was cultured with.
Project description:Our group recently transcriptomically characterized coculture growth between Streptococcus mutans and several species of commensal streptococci (Rose et al, 2023). However, these experiments were carried out in our lab-based experimental medium, tryptone and yeast extract (TY-). To understand whether culturing these species within a medium that more closely mimics their natural environment alters the interaction, we evaluated both monoculture and coculture growth between the dental caries pathogen Streptococcus mutans and oral commensal species Streptococcus oralis in a half TY- / half human saliva mix that was optimally chosen based on our initial characterization of oral streptococci behaviors in medium mixes containing saliva. Our results surprising show that inclusion of saliva enhances the competition of Streptococcus mutans against commensal streptococci through upregulation of carbohydrate uptake and glycolytic pathways.
Project description:Small distortions in transcriptional networks might lead to drastic phenotypical changes, especially in cellular developmental programs such as competence for natural transformation. Here, we report a pervasive circuitry rewiring for competence and predation interplay in commensal streptococci. Canonically, in model species of streptococci such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus mutans, the pheromone-based two-component system BlpRH is a central node that orchestrates the production of antimicrobial compounds (bacteriocins) and incorporates signal from the competence activation cascade. However, the human commensal Streptococcus salivarius does not contain a functional BlpRH pair and in this species, the competence signaling system ComRS directly couples bacteriocin production and competence commitment. This network shortcut might account for an optimal reaction against microbial competitors and could explain the high prevalence of S. salivarius in the human digestive tract. Moreover, the broad spectrum of bacteriocin activity against pathogenic bacteria showcases the commensal and genetically tractable S. salivarius species as a user-friendly model for natural transformation and bacterial predation.
Project description:In the oral biofilm, the mitis streptococci are among the first group of organisms to colonize the tooth surface. Their proliferation is thought to be an important factor required for antagonizing the growth of cariogenic species such as Streptococcus mutans. In this study, we used a 3-species mixed culture to demonstrate that another ubiquitous early colonizing species, Veillonella parvula, could greatly impact the competitive outcome of a mixed culture of S. mutans and S. gordonii. Transcriptome analysis further revealed that S. mutans responds differentially to its friend (V. parvula) and foe (S. gordonii). In the mixed culture with S. gordonii, all but one S. mutans sugar uptake and metabolic genes were down-regulated, while genes for alternative energy source utilization and H2O2 tolerance were up-regulated, resulting in a slower but persistent growth. In contrast, when cultured with V. parvula, S. mutans grew equally well or better than in monoculture and exhibited relatively few changes within its transcriptome. When V. parvula was introduced into the mixed culture of S. mutans and S. gordonii, it rescued the growth inhibition of S. mutans. In this 3-species environment, S. mutans increased the expression of genes required for the uptake and metabolism of minor sugars, while genes required for oxidative stress tolerance were down-regulated. We conclude that the major factors affecting the competition between S. mutans and S. gordonii are carbohydrate utilization and H2O2 resistance. The presence of V. parvula in the tri-species culture mitigates these two major factors and allows S. mutans to proliferate, despite the presence of S. gordonii. In this study, we used microarrays to investigate how S. mutans responds to different species. S. mutans was grown as either monospecies, dual-species cultures with S. gordonii or Veillonella, or tri-species cultures with S. gordonii and Veillonella. The transcriptional profile of the whole genome was examined with microarray.
Project description:In the oral biofilm, the mitis streptococci are among the first group of organisms to colonize the tooth surface. Their proliferation is thought to be an important factor required for antagonizing the growth of cariogenic species such as Streptococcus mutans. In this study, we used a 3-species mixed culture to demonstrate that another ubiquitous early colonizing species, Veillonella parvula, could greatly impact the competitive outcome of a mixed culture of S. mutans and S. gordonii. Transcriptome analysis further revealed that S. mutans responds differentially to its friend (V. parvula) and foe (S. gordonii). In the mixed culture with S. gordonii, all but one S. mutans sugar uptake and metabolic genes were down-regulated, while genes for alternative energy source utilization and H2O2 tolerance were up-regulated, resulting in a slower but persistent growth. In contrast, when cultured with V. parvula, S. mutans grew equally well or better than in monoculture and exhibited relatively few changes within its transcriptome. When V. parvula was introduced into the mixed culture of S. mutans and S. gordonii, it rescued the growth inhibition of S. mutans. In this 3-species environment, S. mutans increased the expression of genes required for the uptake and metabolism of minor sugars, while genes required for oxidative stress tolerance were down-regulated. We conclude that the major factors affecting the competition between S. mutans and S. gordonii are carbohydrate utilization and H2O2 resistance. The presence of V. parvula in the tri-species culture mitigates these two major factors and allows S. mutans to proliferate, despite the presence of S. gordonii.
Project description:As a resident of the oral cavity, Streptococcus mutans must withstand a variety of stresses, including oxidative stress. Previously, we reported the identification of two Spx homologues (SpxA1 and SpxA2) in Streptococcus mutans that appear critical in the ability of the microbe to tolerate oxidative stresses; SpxA1 was shown to play a primary role in activation of detoxification strategies whereas SpxA2 served as a secondary activator. Here, we used RNA deep sequencing (RNA-Seq) to examine the transcriptional changes associated with H2O2 stress in the parent S. mutans strain UA159 and to compare the peroxide-stress transcriptome of UA159 with its Δspx derivatives. The transcriptome data confirmed the relationship between SpxA1 and genes typically associated with oxidative stress responses, but also identified new genes and metabolic pathways that are activated during peroxide stress, also in an SpxA1-dependent manner.
Project description:Recent studies have shown phenotypic and metabolic heterogeneity in related species including Streptococcus oralis, a typical oral commensal bacterium, Streptococcus mutans, a cariogenic bacterium, and Streptococcus gordonii, which functions as an accessory pathogen in periodontopathic biofilm. In this study, metabolites characteristically contained in the saliva of individuals with good oral hygiene were determined, after which the effects of an identified prebiotic candidate, D-tagatose, on phenotype, gene expression, and metabolic profiles of those three key bacterial species were investigated. Examinations of the saliva metabolome of 18 systemically healthy volunteers identified salivary D-tagatose as associated with lower dental biofilm abundance in the oral cavity (Spearman’s correlation coefficient; r = -0.603, p = 0.008), then the effects of D-tagatose on oral streptococci were analyzed in vitro. In chemically defined medium (CDM) containing D-tagatose as the sole carbohydrate source, S. mutans and S. gordonii each showed negligible biofilm formation, whereas significant biofilms were formed in cultures of S. oralis. Furthermore, even in the presence of glucose, S. mutans and S. gordonii showed growth suppression and decreases in the final viable cell count in a D-tagatose concentration-dependent manner. In contrast, no inhibitory effects of D-tagatose on the growth of S. oralis were observed. To investigate species-specific inhibition by D-tagatose, the metabolomic profiles of D-tagatose-treated S. mutans, S. gordonii, and S. oralis cells were examined. The intracellular amounts of pyruvate-derived amino acids in S. mutans and S. gordonii, but not in S. oralis, such as branched-chain amino acids and alanine, tended to decrease in the presence of D-tagatose. This phenomenon indicates that D-tagatose inhibits growth of those bacteria by affecting glycolysis and its downstream metabolism. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence that D-tagatose is abundant in saliva of individuals with good oral health. Additionally, experimental results demonstrated that D-tagatose selectively inhibits growth of the oral pathogens S. mutans and S. gordonii. In contrast, the oral commensal S. oralis seemed to be negligibly affected, thus highlighting the potential of administration of D-tagatose as an oral prebiotic for its ability to manipulate the metabolism of those targeted oral streptococci.
Project description:Investigation of whole genome gene expression levels of P. gingivalis W83, F. nucleatum DSMZ 25586, S. sanguinis SK36, A. actinomycetemcomitans HK1651, S. mutans UA159 in an 24 h old culture. Additionally, whole genome gene expression level changes of S. mutans UA159 biofilm cells after co-cultivation with S. mitis ATCC 11843 were compared to its single species biofilm growth after 24 h. Aim: Demonstration of the usefulness of a five-species gene expression array. Multiple probes per gene enabled identification of single inter-species cross-hybridizing probes. The deletion of such probes lead almost not to the deletion of the whole gene. This was investigated and confirmed by a two-species biofilm expression analysis: The here described array was used for the identification of genes of S. mutans influenced by the presence of S. mitis. Materials and Methods: P. gingivalis W83, F. nucleatum DSMZ 25586, S. sanguinis SK36, A. actinomycetemcomitans HK1651,and S. mutans UA159 were grown in CDM/succrose or artificial saliva/galactose in a single-species culture for 24 h anaerobically resulting in biofilm structures or monolayers. Total RNA was isolated and used for microarray analysis. Probes were analysed for the presence of biological false positive signals caused by cross-hybridizing probes of one of the other species presented on the chip. Further, a simple procedure was developed for automatical identification and deletion of false positive signals caused by washing artefacts, resulting in a more reliable outcome. In the case of the S. mutans/S. mitis mixed-species biofilm, both species were cultured together for 24 h like previously described. The found gene regulations were verified by RT-PCR. Results: Experiments with cDNA from 24 h old single-species cultures allowed the identification of cross-species hybridizing probes on the array, which can be eliminated in mixed-species experimental settings without the need to exclude the whole genes from the analysis. Between 69 % and almost 100 % represented genomes on this array were found actively transcribed under the mono-species monolayer and biofilm conditions used here. S. mutans / S. mitis co-culture: Physiological investigations revealed an increase in S. mutans biofilm mass with a decrease in pH-value under the influence of S. mitis, thereby confirming previously published data. A stringent fold change cut-off of 2 (p<0.05) identified 19 S. mutans transcripts with increased abundance, and 11 with decreased abundance compared to a S. mutans mono-species biofilm. Many of the genes have previously been found differentially regulated under general and acid stress, thereby confirming the value of this array. Conclusions: Taken together, this new array allows transcriptome studies on multi-species oral biofilm interactions and could become an important asset in future oral biofilm and inhibitor/therapy studies.