Streptococcus mutans protein synthesis during mixed-species biofilm development by high-throughput quantitative proteomics

• Published in: PloS one 2012-09, Vol.7 (9), p.e45795-e45795
• Main Authors: Klein, Marlise I, Xiao, Jin, Lu, Bingwen, Delahunty, Claire M, Yates, 3rd, John R, Koo, Hyun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actinomyces; Actinomyces - metabolism; Adaptation; Adenosine triphosphatase; Amino acids; Assembly; Binding sites; Biofilms; Biology; Biosynthesis; Carbohydrates; Chain branching; Chaperones; Communities; Dental caries; Developmental stages; Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; Environmental changes; Extracellular matrix; F1F0-ATPase; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids - chemistry; Gene expression; Genetic aspects; Glucan; Glucans - chemistry; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hydroxyapatite; Lipopolysaccharides - chemistry; Medicine; Metabolism; Microbial mats; Microbiota; Microorganisms; Modulators; Molecular Chaperones - chemistry; Molecular Chaperones - metabolism; Mouth; Mutation; Physiological aspects; Protein biosynthesis; Protein synthesis; Proteins; Proteomics; Proteomics - methods; Proton-Translocating ATPases - metabolism; Saliva; Species; Streptococcus infections; Streptococcus mutans; Streptococcus mutans - metabolism; Streptococcus oralis; Sucrose; Sucrose - chemistry; Sugar; Survival; Tandem Mass Spectrometry - methods; Teeth; Teichoic Acids - chemistry; Up-Regulation; Virulence; Virulence (Microbiology)
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0045795

Biofilms formed on tooth surfaces are comprised of mixed microbiota enmeshed in an extracellular matrix. Oral biofilms are constantly exposed to environmental changes, which influence the microbial composition, matrix formation and expression of virulence. Streptococcus mutans and sucrose are key modulators associated with the evolution of virulent-cariogenic biofilms. In this study, we used a high-throughput quantitative proteomics approach to examine how S. mutans produces relevant proteins that facilitate its establishment and optimal survival during mixed-species biofilms development induced by sucrose. Biofilms of S. mutans, alone or mixed with Actinomyces naeslundii and Streptococcus oralis, were initially formed onto saliva-coated hydroxyapatite surface under carbohydrate-limiting condition. Sucrose (1%, w/v) was then introduced to cause environmental changes, and to induce biofilm accumulation. Multidimensional protein identification technology (MudPIT) approach detected up to 60% of proteins encoded by S. mutans within biofilms. Specific proteins associated with exopolysaccharide matrix assembly, metabolic and stress adaptation processes were highly abundant as the biofilm transit from earlier to later developmental stages following sucrose introduction. Our results indicate that S. mutans within a mixed-species biofilm community increases the expression of specific genes associated with glucan synthesis and remodeling (gtfBC, dexA) and glucan-binding (gbpB) during this transition (P