Exopolysaccharides metabolism and cariogenesis of biofilm regulated by antisense RNA.

BACKGROUND

( ) is a pivotal cariogenic pathogen contributing to its multiple virulence factors, one of which is synthesizing exopolysaccharides (EPS). VicK, a sensor histidine kinase, plays a major role in regulating genes associated with EPS synthesis and adhesion. Here we first identified an antisense RNA (AS) bound with into double-stranded RNA (dsRNA).

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the effect and mechanism of AS in the EPS metabolism and cariogenesis of .

METHODS

The phenotypes of biofilm were detected by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), gas chromatography-mass spectrometery (GC-MS) , gel permeation chromatography (GPC) , transcriptome analysis and Western blot. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-ip) assay and enzyme activity experiment were adopted to investigate the mechanism of AS regulation. Caries animal models were developed to study the relationship between AS and cariogenicity of

RESULTS

Overexpression of AS can inhibit the growth of biofilm, reduce the production of EPS and alter genes and protein related to EPS metabolism. AS can adsorb RNase III to regulate and affect the cariogenicity of .

CONCLUSIONS

AS regulates at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, effectively inhibits EPS synthesis and biofilm formation and reduces its cariogenicity .