Metabolomic Signatures of In Vitro Biofilm Maturation of Streptococcus mutans

The Streptococcus mutans is commonly find in oral environment in both symbiont and dysbiotic conditions, where for the last one it causes the break in homeostatic balance and, in association with other microorganisms' community, results in dental caries process. Additionally, it is important to determine the low molecular weight metabolites profile from Streptococcus mutans to distinguish the endogenous and exogenous compounds from patient subjected to salivary metabolomic studies. Thus, the objective of the present study was to characterize the in vitro metabolomic profile of the maturation of a single-species Streptococcus mutans biofilm using metabolomic approach by ¹H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. A distinct metabolomic profile was observed after 2 days of biofilm maturation, independently of the presence of enamel substrate. Sucrose, lactate, and fructose were the main metabolites responsible for the distinction. The sucrose was consumed by S. mutans in higher levels in the initial experimental periods than at 6 days of biofilm growth. Lactate and fructose were the main compounds secreted, regardless of the type of growth, but it was also observed production of propionate, iso-butyrate, and pyruvate. Pyruvate metabolism and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis were the main pathways related to biofilm growth. The results contribute to the determination of compounds that are resulted from oral microbial activity and help to guide further metabolomics studies.