Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29654290›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2018

Function of alanine racemase in the physiological activity and cariogenicity of Streptococcus mutans.

Shiyu Liu, Yuan Wei, Xuedong Zhou, Keke Zhang, Xian Peng, Biao Ren, Vivian Chen, Lei Cheng, Mingyun Li

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
4.8field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 38 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Characterisation of the NovelInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Culture Supernatant ofPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022
    Article
  5. [Research Updates: Cariogenic Mechanism ofSichuan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Sichuan University. Medical science edition · 2022
    Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Frontiers in microbiology · 2021
    Article
  9. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Shiyu LiuState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, NO. 14, 3rd Section of South RenMin Rd, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Yuan WeiDepartment of Endodontology, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, NO. 30 Zhongyang Road, Nanjing, 210008, China.
Xuedong ZhouState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, NO. 14, 3rd Section of South RenMin Rd, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Keke ZhangState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, NO. 14, 3rd Section of South RenMin Rd, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Xian PengState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, NO. 14, 3rd Section of South RenMin Rd, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Biao RenState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, NO. 14, 3rd Section of South RenMin Rd, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Vivian ChenColumbia University, New York, USA.
Lei ChengState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, NO. 14, 3rd Section of South RenMin Rd, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China. chenglei@scu.edu.cn.
Mingyun LiState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, NO. 14, 3rd Section of South RenMin Rd, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China. limingyun@scu.edu.cn.
Sichuan University · CNColumbia University · USNanjing University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The enzyme alanine racemase (Alr) has been a new target for the development of antibacterial drugs based on the involvement of D-Ala in bacterial cell wall biosynthesis. Our previous study noted that Alr is essential for the growth and interspecies competitiveness of S. mutans, the major causative organism of dental caries. However, physiological activity and cariogenicity of S. mutans affected by Alr remains unknown. The current study examined the biofilm biomass, biofilm structure, extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) synthesis, glucosyltransferase (gtf) gene expression, acid production and acid tolerance in the alr-mutant strain. We found that biofilm formation, biofilm structure, and EPS synthesis was in a D-Ala dose-dependent manner. Biofilm structure was loose in alr-mutant group and the ratio of EPS/bacteria was also elevated. Additionally, the expression levels of multiple gtfs were up-regulated, and acid tolerance was decreased. We also established in vivo models of dental caries and found that the incidence and severity of the caries were decreased in the alr-mutant group in comparison to the parental S. mutans group. Our in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrate that Alr is essential for the cariogenicity of S. mutans and that Alr might be a potential target for the prevention and treatment of caries.

Indexed as

AcidsAlanine RacemaseAnti-Bacterial AgentsBiofilmsDental CariesDrug ToleranceGlucosyltransferasesPolysaccharides, BacterialStreptococcus mutansUp-RegulationVirulenceAcidsAlanine RacemaseAnti-Bacterial AgentsGlucosyltransferasesPolysaccharides, Bacterial

Identifiers

PMID29654290
PMCPMC5899142
OpenAlexW2796943194

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.