SALIVARY AMYLASE AND DENTAL PLAQUE FORMATION

重新提交R29申请的目的是确定 唾液淀粉酶与口腔链球菌结合的分子机制， 为了评估这种相互作用在口腔微生物环境中的作用， 生态 本文所述的研究将表征和鉴定 编码链球菌淀粉酶结合组分的基因 gordonii。 进一步的研究将评估淀粉酶细菌 通过确定的比例和光谱在体内的相互作用 淀粉酶结合细菌在各种口腔表面，通过检查遗传 淀粉酶结合细菌之间的关系，并通过确定 牙菌斑中淀粉酶的免疫金-电镜定位 显微镜 进一步的实验将评估淀粉酶在 使用两种体外模型系统的牙菌斑形成; 唾液包被的羟基磷灰石模型，其模拟了 细菌到牙齿，和一个共聚集模型，它模仿牙菌斑 成熟 淀粉酶结合缺陷突变体 组分、抗体试剂和新鲜牙菌斑分离物 通过拟议的实验过程中，将用于这些 模型系统 这些研究可能会提供一个更完整的了解， 淀粉酶与口腔细菌的相互作用， 为今后研究其他唾液-细菌相互作用提供范例。 最终，这些知识可能会建议预防牙菌斑的方法 阵

The goals of this resubmission of a R29 application are to determine the molecular mechanism of salivary amylase binding to oral streptococci, and to assess the role of this interaction in the context of oral microbial ecology. Studies described herein will characterize and identify the gene coding for the amylase-binding component(s) from Streptococcus gordonii. Additional studies will assess the extent of amylase-bacterium interactions in vivo by determining the proportion and spectrum of amylase-binding bacteria on various oral surfaces, by examining genetic relationships between amylase-binding bacteria, and by determining the in vivo location of amylase in dental plaque by immunogold-electron microscopy. Further experiments will assess the role of amylase in dental plaque formation using two in vitro model systems; the saliva-coated hydroxyapatite model, which mimics the initial adhesion of bacteria to teeth, and a coaggregation model, which mimics plaque maturation. Amylase-binding deficient mutants, amylase-binding components, antibody reagents and fresh dental plaque isolates obtained through the course of the proposed experiments will be used in these model systems. These studies may provide a more complete understanding of the interaction of amylase with oral bacteria, which may serve as a useful paradigm for future studies of other salivary-bacterial interactions. Ultimately, this knowledge may suggest methods to prevent dental plaque formation.