Project description: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:Antibiotic resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae is often the result of horizontal gene transfer events involving closely related streptococcal species. Laboratory experiments confirmed that S. mitis DNA functions as donor in transformation experiments, using the laboratory strain S. pneumoniae R6 as recipient and chromosomal DNA of a high level penicillin resistant S. mitis B6 strain. After four transformation steps, alterations in five penicillin-binding proteins (PBP) were observed, and sequence analysis confirmed recombination events in the corresponding PBP genes. In order to detect regions where recombination with S. mitis DNA has occurred we analyzed the S. pneumoniae transformants by microarray analyses, using oligonucleotide microarrays designed for the S. pneumoniae genome and the S. mitis B6 genome as well.
Project description:In order to appreciate the presence of surface protein gene homologues in commensal species S. mitis and S. oralis, comparative genomic hybridization studies using DNA microarrays were performed with 8 S. mitis and 11 S. oralis from different geographic locations. The oligonucleotide microarray was designed based on the genomes of S. pneumoniae R6 and TIGR4 as well as S. mitis B6 to include genes of 63 cell surface proteins. The denatured genomic DNA of the S. mitis and S. oralis strains was labeled with Cy3-dCTP and control S. mitis B6 DNA was labeled with Cy5-dCTP. Hybridization was performed following the manufacturers recommendations using an hybridization temperature of 40C for 16 h. For data processing, microarrays were scanned on the laser scanner Pro Scan Array GX (PerkinElmer) with the low resolution of 50 M-5m using ScanArrayExpress Software version 4.0. Photomultiplier tube was adjusted to balance the two fluorescence channels and biochips were scanned with a resolution of 10 M-5m. After elimination of background values fluorescence intensity was determined. Signals that showed an intensity ratio of 0.3 and above were considered to be positive.
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.
Project description:Oral bacterial species Streptococcus mitis, Neisseria flavescens, and Haemophilus parainfluenzae, and Porphyromonas gingivalis were each co-cultured with the OSCC cell lines CAL27, SCC4 and SCC25 individually. Total RNA was extracted from the cell lines, followed by gene expression profiling with microarray analysis.
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. The chip study used pooled total RNA recovered from three biologically independent mono-species biofilms or adherent cells/monolayers of P. gingivalis W83, F. nucleatum DSMZ 25586, S. sanguinis SK36, A. actinomycetemcomitans HK1651, and S. mutans UA159. In the case of gene expression analysis of S. mutans/S.mitis biofilm structures compared to the single species biofilm of S. mutans three separate single and three separate two-species biofilm cultures were analysed. Each chip measured the expression level of all together 10186 genes (1883 genes of P. gingivalis W83, 1964 genes of F. nucleatum DSMZ 25586, 2244 genes of S. sanguinis SK36, 2168 genes of A. actinomycetemcomitans HK1651, 1927 genes of S. mutans UA159) with up to thirteen 60-mer probes per gene and with a three-fold technical redundancy.
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.