This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Bek-Thomsen, M.
Right arrow Articles by Kilian, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Bek-Thomsen, M.
Right arrow Articles by Kilian, M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infection and Immunity, May 2008, p. 1889-1896, Vol. 76, No. 5
0019-9567/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.01511-07
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Population Diversity and Dynamics of Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus oralis, and Streptococcus infantis in the Upper Respiratory Tracts of Adults, Determined by a Nonculture Strategy{triangledown}

Malene Bek-Thomsen,1 Hervé Tettelin,2 Ioana Hance,2 Karen E. Nelson,2 and Mogens Kilian1*

Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, The Bartholin Building, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark,1 The Institute for Genomic Research, J. Craig Venter Institute, 9712 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, Maryland 208502

Received 14 November 2007/ Returned for modification 8 January 2008/ Accepted 20 February 2008

We reinvestigated the clonal diversity and dynamics of Streptococcus mitis and two other abundant members of the commensal microbiota of the upper respiratory tract, Streptococcus oralis and Streptococcus infantis, to obtain information about the origin of frequently emerging clones in this habitat. A culture-independent method was used, based on cloning and sequencing of PCR amplicons of the housekeeping gene gdh, which shows remarkable, yet species-specific, genetic polymorphism. Samples were collected from all potential ecological niches in the oral cavity and pharynx of two adults on two occasions separated by 2 years. Based on analysis of close to 10,000 sequences, significant diversity was observed in populations of all three species. Fluctuations in the relative proportions of individual clones and species were observed over time. While a few clones dominated, the proportions of most clones were very small. The results show that the frequent turnover of S. mitis, S. oralis, and S. infantis clones observed by cultivation can be explained by fluctuations in the relative proportions of clones, most of which are below the level of detection by the traditional culture technique, possibly combined with loss and acquisition from contacts. These findings provide a platform for understanding the mechanisms that govern the balance within the complex microbiota at mucosal sites and between the microbiota and the mucosal immune system of the host.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, The Bartholin Building, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. Phone: 45 8942 1735. Fax: 45 8619 6128. E-mail: kilian{at}microbiology.au.dk

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 3 March 2008.

Editor: J. N. Weiser

Infection and Immunity, May 2008, p. 1889-1896, Vol. 76, No. 5
0019-9567/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.01511-07
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Haubek, D., Ennibi, O.-K., Vaeth, M., Poulsen, S., Poulsen, K. (2009). Stability of the JP2 Clone of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. JDR 88: 856-860 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Do, T., Jolley, K. A., Maiden, M. C. J., Gilbert, S. C., Clark, D., Wade, W. G., Beighton, D. (2009). Population structure of Streptococcus oralis. Microbiology 155: 2593-2602 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Nielsen, X. C., Justesen, U. S., Dargis, R., Kemp, M., Christensen, J. J. (2009). Identification of Clinically Relevant Nonhemolytic Streptococci on the Basis of Sequence Analysis of 16S-23S Intergenic Spacer Region and Partial gdh Gene. J. Clin. Microbiol. 47: 932-939 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»