A Nonfimbrial Adhesin of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Mediates Biofilm Biogenesis.

ABSTRACT: Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease caused by polymicrobial biofilms. The periodontal pathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans displays two proteinaceous surface structures, the fimbriae and the nonfimbrial extracellular matrix binding protein A (EmaA), as observed by electron microscopy. Fimbriae participate in biofilm biogenesis and the EmaA adhesins mediate collagen binding. However, in the absence of fimbriae, A. actinomycetemcomitans still retains the potential to form robust biofilms, suggesting that other surface macromolecules participate in biofilm development. Here, isogenic mutant strains lacking EmaA structures, but still expressing fimbriae, were observed to have reduced biofilm potential. In strains lacking both EmaA and fimbriae, biofilm mass was red

SUBMITTER: Danforth DR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6300624 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature