This application will focus on characterizing essential genes in Streptococcus mutans involved in plaque formation and growth. Utilizing model in vitro systems, genes essential for biofilm formation will be identified and characterized following insertion duplication mutagenisis of S. mutans GS5. In addition, two genes recently identified in our laboratory as important for this process, comB and sgp, will be further analyzed as to their respective roles in biofilm formation. Potential signal transduction mechanisms involving both genes will be investigated using gene expression techniques in addition, the role of the com system in inraspecies quorum sensing relative to gene transfer and biofilm formation will be assessed. A novel approach developed in this laboratory to identify essential genes in any transformable microorganism will be utilized to identify such genes in S. mutans this approach, based upon antisense RNA induction, has the potential of identifying target sites for the development of specificanticaries agents. In addition, this approach can be readily used to identify essential genes in ubiquitous bacteria for development of broad- spectrum antibacterial agents.
The specific aims of this proposal are designed to provide new information regarding essential virulence factors of S. mutans which could be exploited to design novel anticaries strategies.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01DE003258-31
Application #
6365068
Study Section
Oral Biology and Medicine Subcommittee 1 (OBM)
Program Officer
Mangan, Dennis F
Project Start
1978-09-01
Project End
2005-06-30
Budget Start
2001-09-01
Budget End
2002-06-30
Support Year
31
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$215,650
Indirect Cost
Name
State University of New York at Buffalo
Department
Dentistry
Type
Schools of Dentistry
DUNS #
038633251
City
Buffalo
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
14260
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Yoshida, Akihiro; Ansai, Toshihiro; Takehara, Tadamichi et al. (2005) LuxS-based signaling affects Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation. Appl Environ Microbiol 71:2372-80