Streptococcus mutans and its metabolism at the molecular level in the ecological context of dental caries
Aim: For decades, the Streptococcus mutans was considered the main agent of caries. This review will show its history and metabolism at the molecular level. By understanding its metabolic pathways involved in the development of carious lesions, it can be possible to develop new methods of modulating...
| Autores: | , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2022 |
| País: | Brasil |
| Institución: | Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) |
| Repositorio: | Revista da Faculdade de Odontologia de Porto Alegre (Online) |
| Idioma: | portugués |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:seer.ufrgs.br:article/118914 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://seer.ufrgs.br/index.php/RevistadaFaculdadeOdontologia/article/view/118914 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Streptococcus mutans Metabolismo Cárie dentária Microbiota Fatores de virulência Metabolism Dental caries Virulence factors |
| Sumario: | Aim: For decades, the Streptococcus mutans was considered the main agent of caries. This review will show its history and metabolism at the molecular level. By understanding its metabolic pathways involved in the development of carious lesions, it can be possible to develop new methods of modulating biofilms in the control of caries, as well as to elucidate the need to continue researching this bacterium. Literature review: Although S. mutans does not constitute a significant proportion in the colonization of the oral microbiota of the sound dentition, its proportion increases when there is continuous acidification of the biofilm, associated with excess carbohydrates in the host diet. This is due to a set of virulence factors, such as adhesion, biofilm formation, acidogenicity, aciduricity, proteases activity, mutacins production and signal transduction pathways. Each of these properties coordinately alters the ecology of the dental biofilm. Discussion: It is still relevant to understand the metabolism of S. mutans as a model microorganism in carious lesions due to its numerous virulence factors. However, in the context of caries as a dysbiosis, antimicrobial therapeutic strategies, more specifically anti-S.mutans, aiming to eliminate the microorganism, may not be the key to caries control, and the microbiome modulation may become the future of dental clinics. Conclusion: Biofilms associated with caries disease comprise a diverse ecosystem, suggesting a polymicrobial etiology, however, future studies aimed at the prospection, development and interrelationship of S. mutans with other microorganisms and with the human host are still justified in order to unravel the 'homeostasis-dysbiosis' transition. |
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