| Seq #76 |
Thursday, 26 June 2003 |
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| 1:45 PM-3:45 PM Svenska Massan G2, Symposium - Group/Division Sponsored |
| Molecular Communication Among Oral Bacteria |
| * Poster files available online |
Sponsored by: Microbiology / Immunology and Infection Control, Salivary Research |
| Description: Mixed-species communities of microorganisms (biofilms) form on all oral surfaces and are a reservoir for pathological and commensal organisms. Organisms within these biofilms produce and respond to signals in their dialog with each other and with host cells. The human host also produces a variety of bacterial effectors, some of which are components of innate immunity. Saliva and gingival crevicular fluid are the media in which communication takes place; salivary molecules such as PRPs are hydrolyzed by oral bacteria for nutrient as well as to produce communication molecules that influence/inhibit growth of other bacteria. Bacterially produced signals control exchange of genetic information among oral bacteria and thus may affect adaptation ability at the genomic level. Contact-based cell-cell interactions such as coaggregation or coadhesion provide excellent starting points to investigate communication among oral bacteria. Bacteria may benefit from contact-based interaction through nutrient exchange. In addition, bacteria may modify their gene expression in response to contact with different species. This response may be necessary for the successful colonization of a species within developing dental plaque. The sum of these interactions results not only in spatially and temporally heterogeneous biofilms, but also in communities with evolving physiological characteristics. Understanding the various dialogs presented in this symposium will help in the design of methods to interrupt pathogenic processes and may provide an assay to assess the progression and severity of pathological processes. This symposium is supported by NIDCR |
| Chairperson: P.E. KOLENBRANDER |
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1:45 PM | Chair's Opening Remarks |
| 0688 |
2:00 PM | Multiple signaling pathways and role of commensal bacteria in innate immunity and the epithelial barrier
R.P. DARVEAU, University of Washington, Seattle, USA |
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2:25 PM | Coadherence and coaggregation: contact-mediated communication
R.J. PALMER, NIDCR, Bethesda, MD, USA |
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2:50 PM | Salivary molecules as signals and signal precursors
N. STRÖMBERG, University of Umeå, Sweden |
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3:15 PM | Quorum sinsing and signal transduction in Streptococcus mutans biofilms
D.G. CVITKOVITCH, University of Toronto, Canada |
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3:40 PM | Discussion |
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