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Updated: Jan 25, 2026

Purification of a High Molecular Mass Protein in Streptococcus mutans
Published on: September 14, 2019
Streptococcus mutans transcriptome in the presence of sodium fluoride and sucrose
Naile Damé-Teixeira1, Dongmei Deng2, Thuy Do3
1Department of Dentistry, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
Objective:
Considering the diverse mechanisms by which fluoride could affect oral bacteria, this study evaluated the effect of sodium fluoride onStreptococcus mutans transcriptome in the presence of sucrose.
Methods:
S. mutans UA159 was cultured in 3 different types of media: medium control[TY], sucrose control[TY_S], and sodium fluoride sucrose test[TY_S_NaF]. Triplicates of each group were sampled at exponential phase 3 h after inoculation, total RNA was isolated, mRNA enriched and cDNA paired-end sequenced (Illumina Hi-Seq2500).
Results:
Genes related toS. mutans adhesion(gtfB and gtfC), acidogenicity and sugar transport were up-regulated in the presence of sucrose(TY_S) and sucrose/fluoride(TY_S_NaF), whereas gene dltA, D-alanine-activating enzyme, which is related to regulation of non-PTS sugar internalization was down-regulated. Up-regulation of the scrA gene and the PTS fructose-and mannose system, as well as functions such as those involved in stress and defence responses and peptidases; and down-regulation of lacACDG and pyruvate formate-lyase were observed in the TY_S_NaF group, as compared to TY_S group.
Conclusions:
The presence of NaF has decreased the overall gene expression level inS. mutans. However, its major effect seems to be the inducing of expression of genes involved in some PEP:PTS systems and other metabolic transporters which imply specific cellular internalisation of sugars.
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