Oral bacterial amino acid transporters and metabolic enzymes

Oral bacterial amino acid transporters and metabolic enzymes represent a diverse group of proteins that mediate the uptake and catabolism of amino acids within the oral microbiome. These systems play a critical role in maintaining oral health by regulating the pH of dental plaque; for instance, the Arginine Deiminase System (ADS) converts arginine into ammonia, which neutralizes organic acids produced by cariogenic bacteria like Streptococcus mutans (1.2.3, 1.2.4). Conversely, the metabolism of sulfur-containing amino acids by anaerobic pathogens leads to the production of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), which are primary contributors to halitosis and are associated with the progression of periodontitis (1.3.1, 1.3.5). Therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways include the use of prebiotic arginine to selectively favor alkali-producing commensal bacteria and the application of metal ions like zinc to inhibit enzymes involved in malodorous gas production (1.1.1, 1.2.3). Understanding these metabolic networks is essential for developing precision microbiome-modulating therapies that shift the oral environment from a disease-associated state to a health-associated one (1.2.5).

Other names

Oral microbial amino acid metabolism systemsBacterial amino acid permeases and catabolic enzymesArginine deiminase system (ADS)Agmatine deiminase system (AgDS)Sulfur-containing amino acid metabolic pathway

Modulation of the oral microbiome through the enhancement of alkali-producing pathways (e.g., Arginine Deiminase System) to neutralize plaque acids, or the inhibition of enzymes that catabolize sulfur-containing amino acids into volatile sulfur compounds.