Bacterial glycolytic enzymes and metabolic machinery in oral pathogens

Bacterial glycolytic enzymes and metabolic machinery in oral pathogens refers to the collective biochemical pathways and proteins used by cariogenic and periodontopathic bacteria, such as Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis, to process carbohydrates and maintain cellular homeostasis in the oral cavity [1, 14]. The central component is the glycolytic pathway, which converts dietary sugars into organic acids (primarily lactic acid), a process known as acidogenesis that leads to tooth enamel demineralization and dental caries [14, 15]. Key enzymes in this machinery include enolase, which catalyzes the conversion of 2-phosphoglycerate to phosphoenolpyruvate, and various glucosyltransferases (GTFs) that synthesize extracellular polysaccharides (glucans) essential for biofilm formation and bacterial adherence [6, 12]. Additionally, the machinery includes transport systems like the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system (PTS) and the F-type H+-ATPase, which regulates intracellular pH [10]. Therapeutic targeting of these enzymes, most notably through the use of fluoride and xylitol, aims to inhibit acid production and biofilm stability, thereby preventing oral diseases while ideally preserving the commensal microflora [8, 10]. Novel small molecules like #G43 and natural products like apigenin are also being explored to selectively disrupt the virulence factors of specific pathogens [2, 6, 15].

Other names

Oral bacterial metabolic machineryCariogenic bacterial glycolysisDental plaque metabolic pathwaysBacterial acidogenesis machinery

Inhibition of enolase (phosphopyruvate hydratase), inhibition of glucosyltransferases (GtfB, GtfC, GtfD), inhibition of F-type H+-ATPase, and disruption of the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system (PTS) for sugar uptake.