FRUCTOSE ACTIVATES A STRESS RESPONSE SHARED BY METHYLGLYOXAL AND HYDROGEN PEROXIDE IN STREPTOCOCCUS MUTANS

Fructose catabolism by Streptococcus mutans is initiated by three PTS transporters yielding either fructose-1-phoshate (F-1-P) or fructose-6-phosphate (F-6-P). Deletion of one such F-1-P-generating PTS, fruI, has been shown to reduce the cariogenicity of S. mutans in rats fed a high-sucrose diet. Moreover, a recent study linked fructose metabolism in S. mutans to a reactive electrophile species (RES) methylglyoxal. Here, we conducted a comparative transcriptomic analysis of exponentially grown S. mutans shocked with 50 mM fructose, 50 mM glucose, 5 mM methylglyoxal, or 0.5 mM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The results revealed a striking overlap between the fructose and methylglyoxal transcriptomes, totaling 176 genes, 61 of which were also shared with the H2O2 transcriptome. This core of 61 genes encompassed many of the same pathways affected by exposure to low pH or zinc intoxication. Consistent with these findings, fructose negatively impacted metal homeostasis of a mutant deficient in zinc expulsion and the growth of a mutant of the major oxidative stress regulator SpxA1. We further demonstrated the induction of the superoxide dismutase (sodA) and the fruRKI operon by different levels of fructose. Finally, fructose metabolism lowered culture pH at a faster pace, allowed better survival under acidic and nutrient-depleted conditions, and enhanced the competitiveness of S. mutans against Streptococcus sanguinis, although a moderated level of F-1-P might further boost some of these benefits. In conclusion, fructose metabolism is integrated into the stress core of S. mutans and regulates critical functions required for survival in both the oral cavity and during systemic infections. Importance. Fructose is a common monosaccharide in the biosphere, yet its overconsumption has been linked to various health problems in humans including insulin resistance, obesity, diabetes, and non-alcoholic liver diseases. These effects are in large part attributed to the unique biochemical characteristics and metabolic responses associated with the degradation of fructose. Yet, an understanding of the effects of fructose on the physiology of bacteria and its implications to the human microbiome is severely lacking. Here we performed a series of analyses on the gene regulation of a dental pathogen Streptococcus mutans by exposing it to fructose and other important stress agents. Further supported by growth, persistence, and competition assays, our findings revealed the ability of fructose to activate a set of cellular functions that may prove critical to the ability of the bacterium to persist and cause diseases both within and without of the oral cavity.