Novel Probiotic Mechanisms of the Oral Bacterium Streptococcus sp. A12 as Explored with Functional Genomics

Advances in defining the composition of health-associated biofilms have highlighted the important role of beneficial species in maintaining health. Comparatively little, however, has been done to address the genomic and physiological bases underlying the probiotic mechanisms of beneficial commensals. In this study, we explored the ability of a novel oral bacterial isolate, Streptococcus A12, to compete with the dental pathogen Streptococcus mutans using various gene products with diverse functions. A12 displayed enhanced competitiveness by (i) disrupting intercellular communication pathways of S. mutans , (ii) sensing and resisting antimicrobial peptides, and (iii) producing factors involved in the production of a putative antimicrobial compound. Research on the probiotic mechanisms employed by Streptococcus A12 is providing essential insights into how beneficial bacteria may help maintain oral health, which will aid in the development of biomarkers and therapeutics that can improve the practice of clinical dentistry.