Interactions between salivary Bifidobacterium adolescentis and other oral bacteria: in vitro coaggregation and coadhesion assays

FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2008 Apr;281(2):183-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2008.01092.x. Epub 2008 Feb 27.

Abstract

Coaggregation assays were performed to investigate interactions between oral Bifidobacterium adolescentis and other oral bacterial species. Bifidobacterium adolescentis OLB6410 isolated from the saliva of healthy humans did not coaggregate with Actinomyces naeslundii JCM8350, Streptococcus mitis OLS3293, Streptococcus sanguinis JCM5708, Veillonella parvula ATCC17745 or Porphyromonas gingivalis OB7124, but it did coaggregate with Fusobacterium nucleatum JCM8532. Subsequent examination of biofilm formation on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite discs using FISH revealed that B. adolescentis OLB6410 could not directly adhere to the coated discs. It did, however, adhere to biofilms of A. naeslundii, V. parvula, and F. nucleatum, although it did not coaggregate with A. naeslundii nor with V. parvula. These results suggest that the adhesion of B. adolescentis to tooth surfaces is mediated by other oral bacteria. Heat- or proteinase K-treated F. nucleatum could not coaggregate with B. adolescentis. Similarly, the coaggregation and coadhesion of proteinase K-treated B. adolescentis were strongly inhibited. It is therefore probable that proteinaceous factors on the cellular surface of B. adolescentis and F. nucleatum are involved in their interaction. The data presented in this study add to our understanding of bifidobacterial colonization in the human oral cavity.

MeSH terms

  • Bacteria / drug effects
  • Bacteria / genetics
  • Bacteria / isolation & purification
  • Bacterial Adhesion* / drug effects
  • Bacterial Physiological Phenomena* / drug effects
  • Bifidobacterium / drug effects
  • Bifidobacterium / genetics
  • Bifidobacterium / isolation & purification
  • Bifidobacterium / physiology*
  • Biofilms / drug effects
  • Biofilms / growth & development
  • Endopeptidase K / pharmacology
  • Fusobacterium nucleatum / drug effects
  • Fusobacterium nucleatum / genetics
  • Fusobacterium nucleatum / physiology
  • Hot Temperature
  • Humans
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Mouth / microbiology*
  • Saliva / microbiology*

Substances

  • Endopeptidase K