Center for Oral Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
Mol Oral Microbiol. 2010 Oct;25(5):331-42. doi: 10.1111/j.2041-1014.2010.00580.x.
Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus are considered the primary organisms responsible for human dental caries. The ability to generate acids and to adapt to low pH conditions is directly associated with the cariogenic potential of these bacteria. To survive acidic conditions, both species have been shown to mount an acid-tolerance response (ATR). However, previous characterization of the S. sobrinus ATR identified critical differences in the mechanisms of acid adaptation between S. mutans and S. sobrinus. Here, interspecies microarray and proteomic approaches were used to identify novel, previously unrecognized genes and pathways that participate in the S. sobrinus acid-stress response. The results revealed that, among other things, metabolic alterations that enhance energy generation and upregulation of the malolactic fermentation enzyme activity constitute important acid-resistance properties in S. sobrinus. Some of these acid adaptive traits are shared by S. mutans and might be considered optimal targets for therapeutic treatments designed to control dental caries.
变形链球菌和远缘链球菌被认为是导致人类龋齿的主要病原体。产生酸和适应低 pH 值环境的能力与这些细菌的致龋潜能直接相关。为了在酸性环境中存活，这两种细菌都被证明会启动酸耐受反应（ATR）。然而，之前对远缘链球菌 ATR 的特征描述确定了变形链球菌和远缘链球菌在酸适应机制上的关键差异。在这里，种间微阵列和蛋白质组学方法被用于鉴定参与远缘链球菌酸应激反应的新的、以前未被识别的基因和途径。结果表明，除其他外，增强能量生成的代谢改变和上调苹果酸-乳酸发酵酶活性构成了远缘链球菌的重要耐酸特性。其中一些酸适应特性与变形链球菌共有，可能被认为是设计用于控制龋齿的治疗方法的最佳靶标。
