Protein relative abundance patterns associated with sucrose-induced dysbiosis are conserved across taxonomically diverse oral microcosm biofilm models of dental caries.

Rudney et al., BMC Microbiome DOI: 10.1186/s40168-015-0136-z

• Extensive inter-individual variation in dental plaque composition
• Sucrose induces acid production in dental caries (dysbiosis)
• Inter-individual variation in taxonomy persists in dysbiotic state
• Are function-based protein abundance patterns more conserved?
• Plaque microcosms grown from carious lesions in 12 children
• Paired design – microcosms grown in presence/absence of sucrose
• Taxonomic composition established by 16S rRNA sequencing
• 2-D LC-MS/MS Metaproteome analyzed for taxonomy and function
• Sucrose microcosms retained inter-individual taxonomic variation
• Protein relative abundance patterns were more highly conserved
• Function-based changes may be better indicators of dysbiosis