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. 2019 May 2;85(10):e00370-19.
doi: 10.1128/AEM.00370-19. Print 2019 May 15.

Amino Sugars Modify Antagonistic Interactions between Commensal Oral Streptococci and Streptococcus mutans

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Amino Sugars Modify Antagonistic Interactions between Commensal Oral Streptococci and Streptococcus mutans

Lulu Chen et al. Appl Environ Microbiol. .

Abstract

N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and glucosamine (GlcN) enhance the competitiveness of the laboratory strain DL1 of Streptococcus gordonii against the caries pathogen Streptococcus mutans Here, we examine how amino sugars affect the interaction of five low-passage-number clinical isolates of abundant commensal streptococci with S. mutans by utilizing a dual-species biofilm model. Compared to that for glucose, growth on GlcN or GlcNAc significantly reduced the viability of S. mutans in cocultures with most commensals, shifting the proportions of species. Consistent with these results, production of H2O2 was increased in most commensals when growing on amino sugars, and inhibition of S. mutans by Streptococcus cristatus, Streptococcus oralis, or S. gordonii was enhanced by amino sugars on agar plates. All commensals except S. oralis had higher arginine deiminase activities when grown on GlcN and, in some cases, GlcNAc. In ex vivo biofilms formed using pooled cell-containing saliva (CCS), the proportions of S. mutans were drastically diminished when GlcNAc was the primary carbohydrate. Increased production of H2O2 could account in large part for the inhibitory effects of CCS biofilms. Surprisingly, amino sugars appeared to improve mutacin production by S. mutans on agar plates, suggesting that the commensals have mechanisms to actively subvert antagonism by S. mutans in cocultures. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that amino sugars can enhance the beneficial properties of low-passage-number commensal oral streptococci and highlight their potential for moderating the cariogenicity of oral biofilms.IMPORTANCE Dental caries is driven by dysbiosis of oral biofilms in which dominance by acid-producing and acid-tolerant bacteria results in loss of tooth mineral. Our previous work demonstrated the beneficial effects of amino sugars GlcNAc and GlcN in promoting the antagonistic properties of a health-associated oral bacterium, Streptococcus gordonii, in competition with the major caries pathogen Streptococcus mutans Here, we investigated 5 low-passage-number clinical isolates of the most common streptococcal species to establish how amino sugars may influence the ecology and virulence of oral biofilms. Using multiple in vitro models, including a human saliva-derived microcosm biofilm, experiments showed significant enhancement by at least one amino sugar in the ability of most of these bacteria to suppress the caries pathogen. Therefore, our findings demonstrated the mechanism of action by which amino sugars may affect human oral biofilms to promote health.

Keywords: Streptococcus mutans; amino sugars; bacterial antagonism; clinical commensal isolates; hydrogen peroxide.

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Figures

FIG 1
FIG 1
Growth curves. Commensal strains were cultured in BHI until the OD600 reached 0.5. Cultures were then diluted 1:50 into FMC medium supplemented with 10 mM Glc (red), GlcN (blue), or GlcNAc (green). The OD600 was monitored using a Bioscreen C with readings taken every 30 min.
FIG 2
FIG 2
Dual-species biofilms formed using clinical commensals and S. mutans. Each commensal was mixed with UA159-Km in equal proportions and inoculated into BM supplemented with 18 mM Glc and 2 mM sucrose (BMGS) to form biofilms overnight on glass coverslips. BMGS was then replaced by BM supplemented with 20 mM Glc, GlcN, or GlcNAc and incubated for another 24 h before visualization by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) after LIVE/DEAD staining (A) and CFU quantification of both species (B). Biofilms formed by UA159-Km alone were included for comparison. Values show the percentages of the populations constituted by commensal bacteria (top) and S. mutans (bottom), respectively. Asterisks indicate statistically significant differences in the viable counts of S. mutans compared to that on BMGlc. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001.
FIG 3
FIG 3
H2O2 production. Cells were cultivated to early exponential phase in TY supplemented with 20 mM Glc, GlcN, or GlcNAc and exposed to vigorous aeration, and the concentrations of H2O2 in the supernates were determined as described in Materials and Methods. Asterisks indicate statistically significant differences in H2O2 levels relative to those on glucose. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001.
FIG 4
FIG 4
Competition assays between S. mutans and clinical commensals. Commensals and S. mutans UA159 were spotted on TY agar plates containing 20 mM Glc, GlcN, or GlcNAc and incubated under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. The competitions were initiated with colonization by UA159 (S. mutants first) or by commensals (commensal first) alone for 24 h and then followed by the other or by both (simultaneously).
FIG 5
FIG 5
Arginine deiminase (AD) activity. For AD assays, commensals were grown to exponential phase in liquid TY supplemented with 20 mM Glc, GlcN, GlcNAc, or galactose, in addition to 10 mM arginine. Asterisks denote statistically significant difference compared to cultures prepared with glucose. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001.
FIG 6
FIG 6
Plate-based bacteriocin assay. Washed cells of each clinical commensal were mixed with UA159 at a 1:1 ratio based on optical density and stabbed onto TY agar plates containing 20 mM Glc, GlcN, or GlcNAc. The plates were incubated overnight, overlaid with soft agar containing S. sanguinis SK150, and then incubated for another 24 h. The experiments were carried out in both aerobic and anaerobic environments.
FIG 7
FIG 7
Amino sugars impact the survival of S. mutans in CCS-derived biofilms. (A and B) To initiate a biofilm, UA159-Km and cell-containing saliva (CCS) were used simultaneously (groups a and d) or 24 h apart (groups b and c) to inoculate BM supplemented with 2 mM sucrose and 18 mM various other carbohydrates. After 24 h of incubation, the biofilms were washed and resupplied with fresh medium and additional bacteria as specified (see Materials and Methods for details). (B) At the end of 2-day incubations, biofilms were processed to quantify the number of CFU of UA159-Km. Asterisks indicate statistically significant differences compared to cultures prepared with Glc. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001. (C and D) A UA159-Km biofilm was treated for 24 h with a filter-sterilized supernate (FSS) derived from biofilm cultures of CCS that were formed aerobically under different carbohydrate conditions, followed by CFU quantification of UA159-Km (D). The FSS was treated with catalase, passed through an ultrafiltration device (MWCO, 10 kDa), or left untreated. Asterisks indicate statistically significant differences compared to untreated FSS. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001.

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