Cited by 121Oral microbiology and periodontitis researchBacterial biofilms and quorum sensingPeriodontal Regeneration and Treatments

Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola Synergistic Polymicrobial Biofilm Development

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Zhu, Ying, Dashper, Stuart G., Chen, Yu-Yen, Crawford, Simon, Slakeski, Nada, Reynolds, Eric C.·2013·PLoS ONE

Abstract

Chronic periodontitis has a polymicrobial biofilm aetiology and interactions between key bacterial species are strongly implicated as contributing to disease progression. Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola and Tannerella forsythia have all been implicated as playing roles in disease progression. P. gingivalis cell-surface-located protease/adhesins, the gingipains, have been suggested to be involved in its interactions with several other bacterial species. The aims of this study were to determine polymicrobial biofilm formation by P. gingivalis, T. denticola and T. forsythia, as well as the role of P. gingivalis gingipains in biofilm formation by using a gingipain null triple mutant. To determine homotypic and polymicrobial biofilm formation a flow cell system was employed and the biofilms imaged and quantified by fluorescent in situ hybridization using DNA species-specific probes and confocal scanning laser microscopy imaging. Of the three species, only P. gingivalis and T. denticola formed mature, homotypic biofilms, and a strong synergy was observed between P. gingivalis and T. denticola in polymicrobial biofilm formation. This synergy was demonstrated by significant increases in biovolume, average biofilm thickness and maximum biofilm thickness of both species. In addition there was a morphological change of T. denticola in polymicrobial biofilms when compared with homotypic biofilms, suggesting reduced motility in homotypic biofilms. P. gingivalis gingipains were shown to play an essential role in synergistic polymicrobial biofilm formation with T. denticola.

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  • BOP is the result of ulceration of the sulcular epithelium caused by manipulation of these tissues, normally by a periodontal probe, in the presence of pathogenic bacteria.

    “BOP is the result of ulceration of the sulcular epithelium caused by manipulation of these tissues, normally by a periodontal probe, in the presence of pathogenic bacteria. 35 , 36 , 37”

    From Prognostic utility of oral neutrophil counts in high-risk periodontitis: A retrospective study (2025) · cites this paper as [35]

    The Introduction (page unavailable) links pathogenic bacteria with periodontal disease, but does not discuss bleeding on probing. Searches for bleeding on probing, sulcular epithelial ulceration, and periodontal-probe manipulation found no passage addressing the claimed mechanism. (LLM, conf=0.75)

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Authors
Zhu, Y., Dashper, S. G., Chen, Y.-Y., Crawford, S., Slakeski, N., & Reynolds, E. C.
Affiliations
The University of Melbourne (AU)
Corresponding author
Reynolds, Eric C.
Venue
PLoS ONE
Published
2013-08-26
Volume
8
Issue
8
Pages
e71727
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1977824944
Cited by
121
References
51
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 1
FWCI
12.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Medical Research Council
  • National Health and Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Oral microbiology and periodontitis research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Urology › Periodontal Regeneration and Treatments
Keywords
Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Tannerella forsythia, polymicrobial biofilms, chronic periodontitis, gingipains, bacterial adhesins, bacterial synergy, bacterial motility
MeSH terms
Gingipain Cysteine Endopeptidases, Cysteine Endopeptidases, Microscopy, Electron, Scanning, Mutation, Species Specificity, Treponema, Porphyromonas gingivalis, In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence, Biofilms, Microscopy, Confocal, Adhesins, Bacterial, Treponema denticola, Chronic Periodontitis

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