The proposed studies are anticipated to yield important new information as to the composition of the bacterial biota that comprises the caries-associated plaque biofilm. The long-term benefit of such information should lead researchers to devising both diagnostic and preventative strategies for dental caries based on addressing its etiological agents. This proposal will focus on children with a severe forms of dental caries called Early Childhood Caries (ECC). Using a powerful technique of gradient electrophoresis will be used to separate 16S rDNA markers from an array of bacteria in plaque biofilms. These gels should show differences between the microfloras of ECC and caries-free children. This profiling, in turn, will allow us to identify or approximate those bacteria, some likely to be uncultivable, associated with caries. Another hypothesis to be tested is whether strains of mutans streptococci, or the entire caries-biofilm differ in their ability to cause disease. Subtraction DNA hybridization will be used to discover unique genetic loci present in mutans streptococci or dental plaques of caries-prone children. Further development of subtraction DNA hybridization will lead to our overall objective, i.e., to characterize from whole plaque a constellation of genetic loci within the caries-active biofilm, irrespective of the limitation of first cultivating specific bacteria. This will set the groundwork for subsequent studies in which a set of DNA probes can be compiled and tested, which will be useful for predicting whether a particular child is at risk for caries. Knowing the function of these genetic loci and the bacterial host from which they arise will give important information as to the causation of caries. Moreover, having genetic markers for disease may eliminate the costly and imprecise practice of cultivating bacteria from dental plaque. The research proposed will likely impact on these more serious forms of caries, leading to its eventual prevention.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01DE013937-01A1
Application #
6436247
Study Section
Oral Biology and Medicine Subcommittee 1 (OBM)
Program Officer
Lunsford, Dwayne
Project Start
2002-06-15
Project End
2005-05-31
Budget Start
2002-06-15
Budget End
2003-05-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$348,476
Indirect Cost
Name
New York University
Department
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Type
Schools of Dentistry
DUNS #
004514360
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10012
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Saxena, Deepak; Caufield, Page W; Li, Yihong et al. (2008) Genetic classification of severe early childhood caries by use of subtracted DNA fragments from Streptococcus mutans. J Clin Microbiol 46:2868-73
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Caufield, Page W; Saxena, Deepak; Fitch, David et al. (2007) Population structure of plasmid-containing strains of Streptococcus mutans, a member of the human indigenous biota. J Bacteriol 189:1238-43

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