Self-destructing Cavity-causing Bacteria
Sunday, January 13, 2008 by PPV
Is this the end of toothbrush? Not really. Scientist have found a way to make cavity causing bacteria to self-destruct.
The ability of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) to survive in acid is one reason that the species is the main driver of tooth decay worldwide. Past research has shown that this ability has several components including a bacterial enzyme called fatty acid biosynthase M (FabM), which when shut down, makes S. mutans almost precisely 10,000 times more vulnerable to acid damage.
