Dentistry

Abstract

Preliminary 1H NMR-based Metabolomics Analysis to Explore The Link Between SrtA Function and Cariogenicity of S.mutans

Ying Song, Jian Zhang, Chuanyong Wang, Wei Li, Jinglin Zhou and Ling Zou

Objectives: Streptococcus mutans is the major pathogen associated with caries, and its adhesion to tooth surfaces is the first step in cariogenesis. Sortase A (SrtA) is a key enzyme responsible for anchoring proteins in the cell wall; deleting the gene reduces the cariogenicity of the pathogen. To gain insight into how SrtA supports cariogenicity, we performed a metabonomics study based on 1H nuclear magnetic resonance in which we compared extracellular metabolites of wild-type S. mutans UA159 and a SrtA-deficient strain.

Methods: Metabolite differences between strains were identified using a combination of principal component analysis and orthogonality partial least squares discriminant analysis.

Results: Several differences were identified, corresponding mostly to unknown metabolites. Some amino acids such as leucine and valine (δ0.92-1.20 ppm), lactic acid (δ1.28 ppm), oxoglutaric acid (δ3.00 ppm), and glycine (δ3.60 ppm) were found to differ between the strains.

Conclusions: These results highlight the feasibility of using metabonomics for functional analysis of genes and correlation with clinical effects.