Abstract

The studies described in this application are to investigate the microbial hydrolysis of urea in the oral cavity and its role in oral health. The elevation in pH resulting from this activity could have beneficial results in surface dental plaque by reducing cariogenic activity of acid producing organisms, whereas in supra-and subgingival plaque ureolysis could have detrimental effects related to increases in calculus and periodontal disease. The experiments proposed here will address both aspects of ureolysis, the first by investigating the regulation of urease expression in Streptococcus salivarius and construction of recombinant urease-producing oral streptococci to test for implantation as biological control agents for caries reduction. In addition the Principal Investigator proposes to analyze the structure and regulation of a recently cloned urease gene locus from Actinomyces naeslundii. Finally, urease-negative mutants of A. naeslundii, constructed by insertional inactivation, will be tested for changes in virulence in an animal model.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DE010362-06
Application #
2458606
Study Section
Oral Biology and Medicine Subcommittee 1 (OBM)
Project Start
1992-08-01
Project End
2001-07-31
Budget Start
1997-08-01
Budget End
1998-07-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Rochester
Department
Dentistry
Type
Schools of Dentistry
DUNS #
208469486
City
Rochester
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
14627

  Publications

Huang, Xuelian; Schulte, Renee M; Burne, Robert A et al. (2015) Characterization of the arginolytic microflora provides insights into pH homeostasis in human oral biofilms. Caries Res 49:165-76
Nascimento, M M; Liu, Y; Kalra, R et al. (2013) Oral arginine metabolism may decrease the risk for dental caries in children. J Dent Res 92:604-8
Burne, R A; Zeng, L; Ahn, S J et al. (2012) Progress dissecting the oral microbiome in caries and health. Adv Dent Res 24:77-80
Liu, Ya-Ling; Nascimento, Marcelle; Burne, Robert A (2012) Progress toward understanding the contribution of alkali generation in dental biofilms to inhibition of dental caries. Int J Oral Sci 4:135-40
Lemos, Jose A; Abranches, Jacqueline; Koo, Hyun et al. (2010) Protocols to study the physiology of oral biofilms. Methods Mol Biol 666:87-102
Toro, E; Nascimento, M M; Suarez-Perez, E et al. (2010) The effect of sucrose on plaque and saliva urease levels in vivo. Arch Oral Biol 55:249-54
Liu, Yaling; Burne, Robert A (2009) Multiple two-component systems modulate alkali generation in Streptococcus gordonii in response to environmental stresses. J Bacteriol 191:7353-62
Nascimento, M M; Gordan, V V; Garvan, C W et al. (2009) Correlations of oral bacterial arginine and urea catabolism with caries experience. Oral Microbiol Immunol 24:89-95
Griswold, A R; Nascimento, M M; Burne, R A (2009) Distribution, regulation and role of the agmatine deiminase system in mutans streptococci. Oral Microbiol Immunol 24:79-82
Liu, Yaling; Burne, Robert A (2009) Multiple two-component systems of Streptococcus mutans regulate agmatine deiminase gene expression and stress tolerance. J Bacteriol 191:7363-6

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