The Role of Hydrogen Peroxide in Environmental Adaptation of Oral Microbial Communities

Oral streptococci are able to produce growth-inhibiting amounts of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as byproduct of aerobic metabolism. Several recent studies showed that the produced H2O2 is not a simple byproduct of metabolism but functions in several aspects of oral bacterial biofilm ecology. First, the...

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Main Authors: Lin Zhu, Jens Kreth
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2012-01-01
Series:Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/717843
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spelling doaj-3fdefb8abc1540f2933efadbd531bbb72020-11-24T22:46:49ZengHindawi LimitedOxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity1942-09001942-09942012-01-01201210.1155/2012/717843717843The Role of Hydrogen Peroxide in Environmental Adaptation of Oral Microbial CommunitiesLin Zhu0Jens Kreth1Department of Periodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USADepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, BMSB 907, 940 Stanton L Young Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USAOral streptococci are able to produce growth-inhibiting amounts of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as byproduct of aerobic metabolism. Several recent studies showed that the produced H2O2 is not a simple byproduct of metabolism but functions in several aspects of oral bacterial biofilm ecology. First, the release of DNA from cells is closely associated to the production of H2O2 in Streptococcus sanguinis and Streptococcus gordonii. Extracellular DNA is crucial for biofilm development and stabilization and can also serve as source for horizontal gene transfer between oral streptococci. Second, due to the growth inhibiting nature of H2O2, H2O2 compatible species associate with the producers. H2O2 production therefore might help in structuring the initial biofilm development. On the other hand, the oral environment harbors salivary peroxidases that are potent in H2O2 scavenging. Therefore, the effects of biofilm intrinsic H2O2 production might be locally confined. However, taking into account that 80% of initial oral biofilm constituents are streptococci, the influence of H2O2 on biofilm development and environmental adaptation might be under appreciated in current research.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/717843
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Lin Zhu
Jens Kreth
spellingShingle Lin Zhu
Jens Kreth
The Role of Hydrogen Peroxide in Environmental Adaptation of Oral Microbial Communities
Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity
author_facet Lin Zhu
Jens Kreth
author_sort Lin Zhu
title The Role of Hydrogen Peroxide in Environmental Adaptation of Oral Microbial Communities
title_short The Role of Hydrogen Peroxide in Environmental Adaptation of Oral Microbial Communities
title_full The Role of Hydrogen Peroxide in Environmental Adaptation of Oral Microbial Communities
title_fullStr The Role of Hydrogen Peroxide in Environmental Adaptation of Oral Microbial Communities
title_full_unstemmed The Role of Hydrogen Peroxide in Environmental Adaptation of Oral Microbial Communities
title_sort role of hydrogen peroxide in environmental adaptation of oral microbial communities
publisher Hindawi Limited
series Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity
issn 1942-0900
1942-0994
publishDate 2012-01-01
description Oral streptococci are able to produce growth-inhibiting amounts of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as byproduct of aerobic metabolism. Several recent studies showed that the produced H2O2 is not a simple byproduct of metabolism but functions in several aspects of oral bacterial biofilm ecology. First, the release of DNA from cells is closely associated to the production of H2O2 in Streptococcus sanguinis and Streptococcus gordonii. Extracellular DNA is crucial for biofilm development and stabilization and can also serve as source for horizontal gene transfer between oral streptococci. Second, due to the growth inhibiting nature of H2O2, H2O2 compatible species associate with the producers. H2O2 production therefore might help in structuring the initial biofilm development. On the other hand, the oral environment harbors salivary peroxidases that are potent in H2O2 scavenging. Therefore, the effects of biofilm intrinsic H2O2 production might be locally confined. However, taking into account that 80% of initial oral biofilm constituents are streptococci, the influence of H2O2 on biofilm development and environmental adaptation might be under appreciated in current research.
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/717843
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