Scientists Discover Bacteria-Made Molecules That Could revolutionize Oral Health – But Brushing Remains Key
Berkeley, CA – A new study from the University of California, Berkeley, has uncovered a cluster of genes in oral bacteria responsible for producing unique, sticky molecules dubbed “mutanoclumpins.” These molecules help bacteria adhere to teeth, offering a potential new target for preventing cavities and managing oral health – though researchers emphasize brushing remains essential for now. The findings, published in the journal Proceedings of the National academy of Sciences, add another piece to the complex puzzle of the microbial communities within the human mouth.
The research team identified approximately 15 genes forming a “specialized” metabolic pathway – meaning they aren’t essential for bacterial survival, but provide a competitive edge. These genes enable bacteria to create tools that enhance their ability to thrive, with some bacteria utilizing similar pathways to produce antibiotics or acquire nutrients. In this instance, the genes produce the mutanoclumpins, which facilitate bacterial attachment to tooth surfaces.
“Being able to produce these,especially in a microbial community,helps the bacteria boot out the other guy and guard their resources,” explained McKenna yao,a berkeley graduate student and co-first author of the study.
This isn’t the first discovery from the team. Previous research revealed gene clusters responsible for producing an unknown antibiotic and another type of sticky molecule within oral bacteria. Researchers hope a comprehensive understanding of these molecules could lead to innovative oral health strategies.
“We are looking for something which is correlated with cavities, with disease,” said lead researcher Zhang. “If one day we can prove that, under certain conditions, this is really a bad molecule you want to prevent, we might develop genetic or chemical inhibitors to inhibit their production, so hopefully the bacteria will not make them, and you have fewer cavities.”
The team is also investigating molecules linked to oral health, with the potential to engineer probiotics to produce more of these beneficial compounds. The ultimate goal is to map all these specialized molecules to fully understand the interactions within the oral microbiome.However, researchers are fast to point out that current preventative measures remain vital. “The best way you can remove the
