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Streptococcus mutans - Selenomonas sputigena ECC Pathobiont Model

Community ID CommunityMech:000084
Ecological State ENGINEERED
Environment supragingival cariogenic plaque biofilm
ENVO:01001034

A defined dual-species oral biofilm model derived from early childhood caries discovery-validation work. Selenomonas sputigena becomes trapped within Streptococcus mutans exoglucans, builds a honeycomb-like multicellular superstructure, enhances acidogenesis, and increases enamel lesion severity in vivo.

Taxonomy

Taxon Ontology ID Functional Roles Abundance
Streptococcus mutans NCBITaxon:1309 N/A
  • PMID:37217495 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "Streptococcus mutans has been implicated as the primary pathogen in childhood caries (tooth decay)."
Selenomonas sputigena NCBITaxon:69823 N/A
  • PMID:37217495 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "We show that S. sputigena, a flagellated anaerobe with previously unknown role in supragingival biofilm, becomes trapped in streptococcal exoglucans"

Ecological Interactions

Ecological interaction network for Streptococcus mutans - Selenomonas sputigena ECC Pathobiont Model Bipartite graph where circle nodes represent taxa and colored rectangles represent ecological interactions (cross-feeding, mutualism, syntrophy, competition, commensalism).
Taxon
Cross-feeding
Mutualism
Syntrophy
Competition
Commensalism
Niche partitioning
Colonization facilitation
Strain competition
Predation

Streptococcal Exoglucan Entrapment of Selenomonas sputigena

COLONIZATION_FACILITATION

Source Taxon: Streptococcus mutans

Target Taxon: Selenomonas sputigena

Evidence

  • PMID:37217495 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "We show that S. sputigena, a flagellated anaerobe with previously unknown role in supragingival biofilm, becomes trapped in streptococcal exoglucans, loses motility but actively proliferates to build a honeycomb-like multicellular-superstructure encapsulating S. mutans, enhancing acidogenesis."

Pathobiont-Enhanced Cariogenicity

COLONIZATION_FACILITATION

Source Taxon: Selenomonas sputigena

Target Taxon: Streptococcus mutans

Evidence

  • PMID:37217495 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "While incapable of causing caries on its own, when co-infected with S. mutans, S. sputigena causes extensive tooth enamel lesions and exacerbates disease severity in vivo."