Streptococcus mutans glucan-binding protein-A affects Streptococcus gordonii biofilm architecture

Jeffrey A. Banas, Tracey L. Fountain, Joseph E. Mazurkiewicz, Keer Sun, M. Margaret Vickerman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

The glucan-binding protein-A (GbpA) of Streptococcus mutans has been shown to contribute to the architecture of glucan-dependent biofilms formed by this species and influence virulence in a rat model. As S. mutans synthesizes multiple glucosyltransferases and nonglucosyltransferase glucan-binding proteins (GBPs), it is possible that there is functional redundancy that overshadows the full extent of GbpA contributions to S. mutans biology. Glucan-associated properties such as adhesion, aggregation, and biofilm formation were examined independently of other S. mutans GBPs by cloning the gbpA gene into a heterologous host, Streptococcus gordonii, and derivatives with altered or diminished glucosyltransferase activity. The presence of GbpA did not alter dextran-dependent aggregation nor the initial sucrose-dependent adhesion of S. gordonii. However, expression of GbpA altered the biofilm formed by wild-type S. gordonii as well as the biofilm formed by strain CH107 that produced primarily α-1,6-linked glucan. Expression of gbpA did not alter the biofilm formed by strain DS512, which produced significantly lower quantities of parental glucan. These data are consistent with a role for GbpA in facilitating the development of biofilms that harbor taller microcolonies via binding to α-1,6-linkages within glucan. The magnitude of the GbpA effect appears to be dependent on the quantity and linkage of available glucan.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)80-88
Number of pages9
JournalFEMS Microbiology Letters
Volume267
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Biofilm
  • Glucan-binding protein
  • Streptococcus mutans

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

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