Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ecological events in subgingival dental plaque with reference to bacteroides and fusobacterium species

Ökologie der subgingivalen Zahnplaque mit Berücksichtigung von Bacteroides und Fusobacterium-Spezies

  • Addendum I
  • The Impact of Microbial Ecology on Clinical Problems International Symposium Weitenburg/Tübingen, June 1988
  • Published:
Infection Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The oral cavity provides a varied habitat supporting the growth of very complex bacterial flora. These bacteria can be broadly divided into two main metabolic groups: saccharolytic bacteria which convert carbohydrates into short chain organic acids and asaccharolytic bacteria which utilize nitrogenous substrates for energy. We studied carbohydrate utilization, the influence of protein hydrolysates on bacterial growth and the fermentation of amino acids in different species to facilitate a clearer understanding of the factors which may control the ecological distribution of bacteriain vivo and provide a basis for the explanation of their role in periodontal diseases and other clinical infections throughout the body.

Zusammenfassung

Die Mundhöhle stellt einen reichhaltigen Nährboden für das Wachstum einer sehr komplexen bakteriellen Flora dar. Diese Bakterien können in zwei große metabolische Gruppen eingeteilt werden: die saccharolytischen Bakterien, welche Kohlenhydrate in kurzkettige organische Säuren umwandeln, und asaccharolytische Bakterien, welche stickstoffhaltiges Substrat zur Energiegewinnung benutzen. Wir untersuchten Kohlenhydratverwertung, den Einfluß von Proteinhydrolysaten auf das Bakterienwachstum und die Fermentierung von Aminosäuren bei verschiedenen Spezies. Dies geschah in der Hoffnung, ein klareres Verständnis der Faktoren zu erhalten, welche die ökologische Verteilung der Bakterienin vivo steuern, und eine Erklärungsgrundlage für ihre Funktion bei parodontalen Erkrankungen oder anderen klinischen Infektionen des menschlichen Körpers zu schaffen.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hardie, J. M., Shah, H. N. Factors controlling the microbial flora of the mouth. Eur. J. Chemoth. Antibiotics 2 (1982) 3–11.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Tanzer, J. M.: Sucrose metabolism ofStreptococcus mutans, Streptococcus mutans and dental caries. In:Fitzgerald, Betheda, R. J. (eds.): Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare Publication No. (NIH) 74–286 (1973) 25–31.

  3. Reizer, J., Deutscher, J., Suturna, S., Thompson, J., Saier, M. H., Sugar accumulation in gram-positive bacteria: exclusion and expulsion mechanisms. Trends in Biochemical Science 10 (1985) 32–35.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Yamada, T., Carlsson, J. The role of pyruvate formate-lyase in glucose metabolism ofStreptococcus mutans. In:Stiles, H. M., Loesche, W. J., O'Brien, T. C. (eds.): Microbial aspects of dental caries. Information Retrieval Inc., Washington, D. C. and London 1976, pp. 809–919.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Geddes, D. A. M. Acids produced by human dental plaque. Caries Res. 9 (1975) 98–109.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Carisson, J. Biochemical aspects on the ecology ofStreptococcus mutans. In:Hamada, S., Michalek, S. M., Kiyono, H., Menaker, L., McGhee, J. R. (eds.): Molecular microbiology and immunology ofStreptococcus mutans. Spottiswoode + Ballantyne, Colchester + London 1986, pp. 93–103.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Gharbia, S. E., Shah, H. N. Glucose utilization and growth response to protein hydrolysates byFusobacterium species. Curr. Microbiol. 17 (1988) 229–234.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Shah, H. N., Williams, R. A. D. Utilization of glucose and amino acids byBacteroides intermedius andBacteroides gingivalis. Curr. Microbiol. 15 (1987) 241–246.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Shah, H. N., Williams, R. A. D. Catabolism of aspartate and asparagine byBacteroides intermedius andBacteroides gingivalis. Curr. Microbiol. 15 (1987) 313–318.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Robrish, S. A., Oliver, C., Thompson, J. Amino acid dependent transport of sugars byFusobacterium nucleatum ATCC 10953. J. Bacteriol. 169 (1987) 3891–3897.

    Google Scholar 

  11. ter Steeg, P. F., van der Hoeven, M. H., de Jong, P. J., van Munster, J., Jansen, M. J. H. Modelling the gingival pocket by enrichment of subgingival microflora in human serum in chemostats. Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease. I (1988) 73–84.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Pittman, K. A., Lakshnianan, S., Bryant, M. P. Oligopeptide uptake byBacteroides ruminicola. J. Bacteriol. 93 (1967) 1499–1508.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Carlsson, J., Hermann, B. F., Hofling, J. F., Sundqvist, G. K. Degradation of the human proteinase inhibitors alpha-1 antritrypsin and alpha-2-macroglobulin byBacteroides gingivalis. Infect. Immun 43 (1984) 644–648.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Payne, J., Gilvarg, C.: Transport of peptides in bacteria. In:Rosen, B. P., Dekker, M. (eds.): Bacterial transport. 1978, pp. 325–383.

  15. Slots, J.: Importance of black-pigmentedBacteroides in human periodontal disease. In:Genco, R. J., Mergenhagen, S. E. (eds.): Host-parasite interactions in periodontal disease. American Society for Microbiology 1982, pp. 27–45.

  16. Shah, H. N., Seddon, S. V., Gharbia, S. E. Studies on the virulence properties and metabolism of pleiotrophic mutants ofPorphyromonas gingivalis (Bacteroides gingivalis) W50. Oral Microbiol. Immun. 4 (1989) 19–23.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Al-Jalili, T. A. R., Shah, H. N. Protoheme, a dispensible growth factor forBacteroides fragilis grown by batch and continuous culture in a basal medium. Curr. Microbiol. 17 (1988) 13–18.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Harris, M. A., Reddy, C. A. Factors controlling the microbial flora of the mouth. Eur. J. Chemother. Antibiotics 131 (1977) 922–928.

    Google Scholar 

  19. McKee, A. S., McDermid, A. S., Baskerville, A., Dowsett, A. B., Ellwood, D. C., Marsch, P. D. Effect of hemin on the physiology and virulence ofBacteroides gingivalis W50. Infect. Immun. 52 (1986) 349–355.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oral Microbiology, The London Hospital Medical College, Turner Street, Whitechapel, E1 2AD, GB-London

    H. N. Shah &  S. E. Gharbia

Authors
  1. H. N. Shah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. E. Gharbia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shah, H.N., Gharbia, S.E. Ecological events in subgingival dental plaque with reference to bacteroides and fusobacterium species. Infection 17, 264–268 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01639537

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01639537

Keywords

Search

Navigation