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

Coaggregation: specific adherence among human oral plaque bacteria

P E Kolenbrander1, N Ganeshkumar, F J Cassels

  • 1Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, National Institute of Dental Research, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.

FASEB Journal : Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
|March 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary

Human oral bacteria commonly coaggregate, forming cell clumps through specific recognition. This lactose-reversible process, mediated by adhesins and carbohydrate receptors, explains dental plaque formation and bacterial colonization.

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

Microbiota of severe early childhood caries before and after therapy.

Journal of dental research·2011
Same author

Cultivable anaerobic microbiota of severe early childhood caries.

Journal of clinical microbiology·2011
Same author

Clonal analysis of the microbiota of severe early childhood caries.

Caries research·2010
Same author

Diet and caries-associated bacteria in severe early childhood caries.

Journal of dental research·2010
Same author

The road to ruin: the formation of disease-associated oral biofilms.

Oral diseases·2010
Same author

Autoinducer-2 is produced in saliva-fed flow conditions relevant to natural oral biofilms.

Journal of applied microbiology·2009

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Oral Biology
  • Bacterial Adhesion

Background:

  • Coaggregation, the cell-to-cell recognition between genetically distinct oral bacteria, is a widespread phenomenon.
  • This interaction leads to the immediate formation of cell clumps (coaggregates) upon mixing bacterial types.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanisms and specificity of bacterial coaggregation in the human oral microbiome.
  • To understand the role of coaggregation in dental plaque formation and mucosal surface colonization.

Main Methods:

  • Testing coaggregation across 18 bacterial genera, assessing lactose reversibility.
  • Isolating and characterizing adhesins (e.g., from Prevotella loescheii PK1295).
  • Identifying and purifying carbohydrate receptors from oral streptococci to block coaggregation.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • All tested genera exhibited lactose-reversible coaggregation, suggesting common underlying mechanisms.
  • Adhesins, such as lectin-like molecules, mediate interactions with complementary carbohydrate receptors.
  • Specific adhesins were identified with dual functions, binding both bacterial receptors and human saliva components.
  • Purified receptors blocked coaggregation, confirming specific molecular interactions.
  • Coaggregation patterns correlate with bacterial colonization sequences on teeth and mucosal surfaces.

Conclusions:

  • Bacterial coaggregation is a highly specific, lactose-reversible process crucial for oral microbial community structure.
  • Coaggregation mechanisms, involving adhesins and receptors, explain the ordered development of dental plaque and host tissue colonization.