Oxygen and the sugar metabolism in oral streptococci

Streptococci have several ways of adapting themselves to the constantly changing environment of the human oral cavity. This paper discusses the adaptation of sugar metabolism to variations in oxygen levels. In all streptococci the Embden-Meyerhof pathway of glycolysis works under aerobic as well as anaerobic conditions, but pyruvate is converted into different metabolic end products depending on the oxygen levels. Under anaerobic conditions all streptococci form formate, acetate, and ethanol by a pyruvate formate-lyase pathway. If sugar is in excess, they also form lactate using a lactate dehydrogenase. Under aerobic conditions pyruvate formate-lyase is inactivated. This enzyme is then replaced by a pyruvate oxidase in some streptococci and by a pyruvate dehydrogenase in others. The characteristics of these enzymes help streptococci like S. sanguis, S. oralis, S. gordonii, and S. mitis to compete successfully with other bacteria in those sites of the oral cavity that are freely exposed to saliva, while mutans streptococci have to colonize anaerobic sites such as those in-between the teeth and in the occlusal fissures of the teeth.