Glycosyltransferase-Mediated Biofilm Matrix Dynamics and Virulence of Streptococcus mutans

Abstract

Tooth decay, a costly and painful disease affecting the vast majority of people worldwide, is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus mutans . The bacteria utilize dietary sugars to build and strengthen biofilms, trapping acids onto the tooth’s surface and causing demineralization and decay of teeth. As knowledge of our body’s microbiomes increases, the need for developing therapeutics targeted to disease-causing bacteria has arisen. The significance of our research is in studying and identifying a novel therapeutic target, a dynamic biofilm matrix that is mediated by a new virulence factor and membrane vesicles. The study increases our understanding of S. mutans virulence and also offers a new opportunity to develop effective therapeutics targeting S. mutans . In addition, the mechanisms of membrane vesicle-mediated biofilm matrix dynamics are also applicable to other biofilm-driven infectious diseases.