A Bacterium That Acts Like a Toothbrush

[n2doc]

by Catherine Meyers on 1 April 2011, 5:04 PM

Researchers have identified a new ally in the war against tooth decay: an enzyme produced by a mouth bacterium that prevents plaque formation. The finding could eventually lead to the development of toothpaste that harnesses the body's own plaque-fighting tools.

The human mouth is awash with bacteria. More than 700 species thrive in the hot, moist conditions, including Streptococcus mutans, one of the main components of plaque. Clinging to the teeth in thin layers called biofilms, S. mutans digests sugars and produces acids that can eat into enamel and cause cavities. Other bacteria are more gracious guests. In 2009, for example, scientists found that S. salivarius, a type of bacterium found on the tongue and other soft tissues in the mouth, decreases the buildup of S. mutans biofilms.

Hidenobu Senpuku, a biologist at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Tokyo, and colleagues wanted to know what substance conferred S. salivarius's cavity-fighting powers. Using chromatography, a method that divides the molecules in a mixture based on charge or size, they separated out individual proteins from samples of the microbe. The scientists then mixed each kind of protein with S. mutans cells and measured which cultures grew the smallest amount of biofilm on plates in the lab. The protein FruA, an enzyme that breaks apart complex sugars, was the most powerful biofilm blocker.

The researchers also found that a form of FruA, produced by the common fungus Aspergillus niger and available off-the-shelf, stymies plaque equally well. This commercial FruA worked despite the fact that its amino acid sequence is somewhat different from that of S. salivarius FruA. That might speed the development of toothpastes that include FruA, says Senpuku.

more

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/04/a-bacterium-that-acts-like-a-toothbrush.html

[angstlessk]

1. I read that if you had a 'wet' mouth you had fewer cavities than a 'dry' mouth

[grilled onions]

2. Dry Mouth, Diabetics etc

have a worse problem keeping teeth clean. I have both and the dry mouth is the pits. Chewing gum like Orbit does help but so does going to a dentist on schedule which so many of us cannot do when money is in short supply or have no dental insurance at all.

[RKP5637]

3. Yep, I've read the same, also my dentist said similar. n/t