Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Real-time PCR for quantification of Streptococcus mutans.

Akira Yano1, Noboru Kaneko, Hirohisa Ida

  • 1Department of Oral Health, National Institute of Public Health, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, 162-8640, Tokyo, Japan. akiray@nih.go.jp

FEMS Microbiology Letters
|November 26, 2002
PubMed
Summary

A new real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay accurately quantifies Streptococcus mutans. This method offers a sensitive tool for assessing caries risk factors by detecting bacterial DNA in saliva samples.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Self-reported oral health indicators and glycemic status in community-dwelling adults: evidence from the Uonuma cohort study.

Frontiers in oral health·2026
Same author

Efficacy of combined oral hygiene devices for interproximal plaque removal: an in vitro study.

BMC oral health·2026
Same author

Impact of temperature, humidity, dehydration, and psychological stress on salivary flow and xerostomia in young men: An observational study.

PloS one·2026
Same author

Association between shift work and periodontal disease in the Japanese manufacturing industry: A propensity score analysis.

Community dental health·2026
Same author

Correction to "Aragezolone, a Novel Purple-Pink Pigment with a Unique Structure and Healthy Benefits from the Edible Mushroom <i>Auricularia cornea</i>".

Journal of agricultural and food chemistry·2025
Same author

Periodontitis and Mild Cognitive Impairment Risk in Diabetic Patients: Insights from an Exploratory Analysis.

Dentistry journal·2025

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Dental Research

Background:

  • Streptococcus mutans is a primary etiological agent of dental caries.
  • Accurate quantification of S. mutans is crucial for assessing caries risk.
  • Existing culture-based methods can be time-consuming and less sensitive.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for quantifying Streptococcus mutans.
  • To assess the specificity and sensitivity of the developed assay.
  • To compare the real-time PCR results with conventional culture methods.

Main Methods:

  • Design and synthesis of primers targeting gtf genes specific to S. mutans.
  • Specificity testing against various oral streptococcal and other bacterial strains, as well as human DNA.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Development of a real-time PCR protocol for quantitative DNA detection.
  • Validation using saliva samples and comparison with traditional culture techniques.

    • Main Results:

    • The developed primers specifically amplified S. mutans DNA from complex mixtures.
    • The assay demonstrated a linear quantitative range over seven orders of magnitude.
    • A high sensitivity was achieved, with a detection limit of a few genomic DNA copies.
    • Real-time PCR results for S. mutans and S. sobrinus in saliva correlated well with culture assays.

    Conclusions:

    • The developed real-time PCR assay provides a sensitive and specific method for quantifying S. mutans.
    • This molecular technique offers a reliable alternative to conventional culture methods for S. mutans detection.
    • These assays are valuable tools for evaluating caries risk by assessing key bacterial pathogens in saliva.