Oral Bacteria A (EXAM III) Flashcards
The small ribosomal subunit for bacteria is composed of:
16S ribosomal RNA
Around how many nucleotides are present in the 16S rRNA and how many proteins comprises this?
~1540 nucleotides
21 proteins
This has become the gold standard in microbial identification & taxonomic classification of bacterial species in microbiology:
Basing identification on the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing
Why do we use the 16S ribosomal RNA to evaluate phylogenetic relationships among microorganisms?
The degree of conservation of genes differs considerably; conserved regions of the genes are identical for all bacteria, while the variable regions contain specific sites unique to individual bacteria
The uniqueness of the ______ regions enables taxonomic positioning & identification of bacteria
Variable regions
One of the highest concentrations of bacteria in the body:
Biofilm on tooth surface
Colonizing bacteria interact with the ______ on the tooth surface
Acquired pellicle
In the formation of dental plaque:
Bacteria never come into contact with a _______, the tooth surface is coated with an _____
Clean tooth surface; acquired pellicle
Describe the acquired pellicle:
Film deposited on tooth surface composed of:
- Molecules in saliva (predominant)
- Material shed from bacterial cell surfacecs
- Polymers form gingival crevicular fluid
Once the acquired pellicle is on the surface of the tooth _________ of bacteria occurs to the pellicle surface
Passive transport
The initial colonization of the bacteria to the pellicle surface is by what species?
- Strep gordonii
- Strep oralis
- Strep mitis
- Strep sanguinis
The bacteria have _____ located on the bacterial surface, and bind to _____ in the pellicle
Adhesins; receptors
Polymers from saliva & bacteria:
Pellicle receptors
Once the strep species bind to the pellicle, adhesion is usually ____
Irreversible
Major adhesins of streptococci include:
Antigen I/II
Streptococcus have important adhesins including antigen I/II that also bind:
Human salivary glycoproteins, other bacteria & calcium
Once the initial colonizing bacteria are attached to the tooth surface they can become binding sites for addition bacterial species, this is referred to as:
Coaggregation
Following the initial streptococcus species that colonize, the additional bacterial species that coaggregate include:
- Actinomyces Naeslundii
- Actinomyces Viscosus
- Streptococcus Gordonii
Through bacterial metabolism by the multiple layers of species, this creates a:
Microenvironemtn
The microenvironment created through bacterial metabolism of the initial colonizing and coaggregation layers of bacteria supports additional species of bacteria including:
- Strep mutans
- Strep sobrinus
The bacteria are not just binding to the bacterial biofilm, they are also:
Multiplying
An important component of the bacterial biofilm, especially in streptococci species:
Glucan production
Streptococci produce _____ which are extracellular enzymes
Glucosyltransferases
Streptococci produce glucosyltransferases which are extracellular enzymes that:
Polymerize the glucose moiety of sucrose into glucan polymers and other polysaccharides
Extracellular enzymes that polymerize the glucose moiety of sucrose into glucan polymers & other polysaccharides:
Glucosyltransferase
What the glucosyltransferases polyermize the glucose moiety of sucrose into?
- Glucan polymers
- Other polysaccharides
Branched-chain polysaccharides containing alpha(1-6) & alpha(1-3) linkages:
Glucans
Glucans are branched-chain polysaccharids containing what linkages?
Alpha(1-6) & Alpha(1-3)
When bacteria cleave sucrose, they can take the resulting glucose & fructose and:
Ferment it into acid
Glucans are like _____ (like long polymers) and bacteria both:
Cement; produce & bind to them
As bacteria continue to build up & create these cement-like layers, what occurs:
Oxygen levels drop
As bacteria continue to build up & create these cement-like layers, & oxygens level drop, this allows:
The later colonizers to enter the biofilm & begin proliferation
Late colonizers include:
(category)
Obligate anaerobes
What species of bacteria are the obligate anaerobes that are late colonizers?
- Prevotella melaninogenicus
- Prevotella oralis
- Veionella spp.
We see the drop of oxygen levels in the biofilm especially:
Between the teeth & dental gingival crevice
In addition to all the binding that is occurring to create the biofilm you will also get some:
Detachment of bacteria & colonization of new sites
How do bacteria forming the dental biofilm detach & colonize at new sites?
Some bacteria will shed or degrade their adhesins to facilitate their release
Altered properties of bacteria in a biofilm:
- ______ for extracellular polysaccharide synthesis
- Increased ______ to antimicrobial agents
- ______ between closely spaced bacteria
- Up-regulation of genes
- Increased resistance
- Metabolic interaction
Altered properties of bacteria in a biofilm:
Upregulation of genes for:
Extracellular polysaccharide synthesis (glucan & fructan production)
Altered properties of bacteria in a biofilm:
Increased resistance to antimicrobial agents (4):
- Restricted penetration into biofilm
- Inactivation by enzymes
- Slow bacterial growth
- Expression of novel surface-associated phenotypes
Why would slow growth rate of bacteria in the biofilm lead to increased resistance to antimicrobial agents?
Antibiotics rely on bacterial cell growth
Why would expression of novel surface-associated phenotypes lead to increased resistance to antimicrobial agents?
This prevents antimicrobial agents from penetrating the biofilm