Microbes that cause cavities can form superorganisms able to 'crawl' and spread on teeth

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https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/microbes-cause-cavities-can-form-superorganisms-able-crawl-and-spread-teeth

Microbes that cause cavities can form superorganisms able to ‘crawl’ and spread on teeth

These multicellular, cross-kingdom assemblages were more resistant to antimicrobials and removal and caused more extensive tooth decay than their single-species equivalents, according to research led by School of Dental Medicine scientists.



Real-time microscopy enabled researchers to track the movement and behavior of a grouping of fungi and bacteria in the saliva of children with severe tooth decay. The interspecies cluster took on new functions and caused more severe decay than either species alone. (Image: Penn Dental Medicine)

Across-kingdom partnership between bacteria and fungi can result in the two joining to form a “superorganism” with unusual strength and resilience. It may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but these microbial groupings are very much part of the here and now.

Found in the saliva of toddlers with severe childhood tooth decay, these assemblages can effectively colonize teeth. They were stickier, more resistant to antimicrobials, and more difficult to remove from teeth than either the bacteria or the fungi alone, according to the research team, led by University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine scientists.

What’s more, the assemblages unexpectedly sprout “limbs” that propel them to “walk” and “leap” to quickly spread on the tooth surface, despite each microbe on its own being non-motile, the team reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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[Baitball Blogger]

1. Ick and eek, combined.