April 2, 2018 - An 91°”Íű-led team cultivated a novel oral microbe, Desulfobulbus oralis, present in adults with periodontitis,an advanced gum disease that affects nearly half of all adults worldwide. By integrating genomic and metabolic techniques with classical microbiology, the team combined single-cell genomic data with microbiological tricksâincluding using a complex âsoupâ made by other oral microbesâto grow the bacterium in the lab. By isolating D. oralis, they could better understand how the microbes may have adapted and evolved to become dependent on other oral bacteria, as well as how losing or acquiring genes can make them friend or foe. âOral microbiology is a mature discipline, yet there are still many species that lurk in our mouths that have yet to be cultured and characterized,â said ORNLâs Mircea Podar. âDiscovering new information about the so-called âdark microbiotaâ could be used to develop future alternative treatments and possible prevention of periodontitis, tooth decay and other oral diseases.â Their finding was published in mBio.
ORNLâs Karissa Cross prepares a sample to cultivate Desulfobulbus oralis, a novel oral microbe present in adults with advanced gum disease. Cross, a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate, led the labâs D. oralis study under ORNLâs Mircea Podarâs guidance. Credit: Jason Richards/91°”Íű, U.S. Dept. of Energy.
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