Mechanistic insights into the inhibitory effect of theaflavins on virulence factors production in Streptococcus mutans.

ABSTRACT: Streptococcus mutans is the primary etiological agent associated with cariogenic process. The present study aimed to investigate the antibacterial and anti-virulence activities of theaflavins (TFs) to Streptococcus mutans UA159 as well as the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that TFs were capable of suppressing the acid production, cell adherence, water-insoluble exopolysaccharides production, and biofilm formation by S. mutans UA159 with a dosage-dependent manner while without influencing the cell growth. By a genome-wide transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq), we found that TFs attenuated the biofilm formation of S. mutans UA159 by inhibiting glucosyltransferases activity and the production of glucan-binding proteins (GbpB and GbpC) instead of directly blocking the expression of genes

SUBMITTER: Kong J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8271058 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature