Type II chromosomal toxin-antitoxin (TA) modules consist of a pair of genes that encode two components: a stable toxin and a labile antitoxin interfering with the lethal action of the toxin through protein complex formation. Bioinformatic analysis of Streptococcus mutans UA159 genome identified a pair of linked genes encoding a MazEF-like TA. Our results show that S. mutans mazEF genes form a b...

Mutans Streptococci, in particular S. mutans and S. sobrinus, are generally considered to be the prime etiological bacteria of human dental caries. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of mutans streptococci in dental plaque in three groups of caries-free and caries-affected Venezuelan children aged 2-6, 7-12, 13-19 years, and their possible association with dental caries. The f...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to analyze possible horizontal transmission patterns of S. mutans among 6-7-yr-old schoolchildren from the same class, identifying genotypes and their diversity and relationship with caries disease status. STUDY DESIGN Caries indexes and saliva mutans streptococci and lactobacilli counts were recorded in 42 schoolchildren. Mutans streptococci colonies were ...

Acidogenicity and aciduricity are the main virulence factors of the cavity-causing bacterium Streptococcus mutans. Monitoring at the individual cell level the temporal and spatial distribution of acid produced by this important oral pathogen is central for our understanding of these key virulence factors especially when S. mutans resides in multi-species microbial communities. In this study, we...

The bacterial species Streptococcus mutans is known as the main cause of dental caries in humans. Therefore, much effort has focused on preventing oral colonization by this strain or clearing it from oral tissues. The oral cavity is colonized by several bacterial species that constitute the commensal oral flora, but none of these is able to interfere with the cariogenic properties of S. mutans....

Early childhood caries (ECC), which can lead to rampant tooth-decay that is painful and costly to treat, is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases affecting children worldwide. Previous studies support that interactions between Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans are associated with the pathogenesis of ECC. The presence of Candida enhances S. mutans growth, fitness and accumulation...

Using indirect immunofluorescence, alkali-extracted components of Streptococcus mutans were found to bind in vitro to capillary walls and sarcolemmal sheaths of monkey cardiac muscle and to glomerular and tubular basement membranes of monkey kidney. Adsorption of S. mutans components to tissue fragments was also detected by indirect radioimmunoassay and immunoblotting on nitrocellulose paper. A...

background: orthodontic therapy has oral ecological changes causing increased numbers of mutans streptococci in saliva and plaque. the purpose of this study was to estimate counts and colonization pattern of streptococcus mutans after application of fixed orthodontic appliances. materials and methods: plaque samples of randomly selected sixty patients were collected before placement of orthodon...

Although oral bacteria-associated systemic diseases have been reported, association between Streptococcus mutans, pathogen of dental caries, and ulcerative colitis (UC) has not been reported. We investigated the effect of various S. mutans strains on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mouse colitis. Administration of TW295, the specific strain of S. mutans, caused aggravation of colitis; the ...

Caries-free subjects or individuals with low caries susceptibility exhibited significantly higher (P less than 0.001) levels of naturally occurring salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) and serum IgG, IgA, and IgM antibodies to a Streptococcus mutans ribosomal preparation than subjects with high caries susceptibility. Absorption of saliva and serum samples with S. mutans ribosomal preparations, but n...