Introducing 

Prezi AI.

Your new presentation assistant.

Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.

Loading content…
Transcript

Taxonomy

Streptococcus mutans is a bacterium that plays a crucial role in dental caries.

According to Lemos,"Strains of S. mutans can be classified into four different serological groups (c, e, f and k) based on the composition of cell-surface rhamose-glucose polysaccharide" (Lemos,2019)

Morphology

Streptococcus mutans typically appears as cocci arranged in chains. This characteristic influences its ability to adhere to surfaces and form biofilms, contributing to its formation of dental plaque.

Streptococcus mutans has a positive gram-stain which tells us that it has a thick layer of peptidoglycan in its cell wall.

This image shows the positive gram-stain for Streptococcus mutans.

(Facklam,2024)

Gram Stain Results and Significance

The gram stain results for Streptococcus mutans show that it is gram-positive, indicating a thick layer of peptidoglycan in its cell wall. This characteristic impacts its susceptibility to antibiotics and helps in differentiating it from other bacteria based on staining properties.

Gram Reaction and Cell Wall Structure

The gram-positive nature of Streptococcus mutans indicates a thick peptidoglycan layer in its cell wall, providing structural support and protection. Understanding the implications of this Gram reaction helps in targeted antibiotic therapies and treatment strategies for infections.

Extended Research

Discovery and Naming of Streptococcus mutans

The discovery of Streptococcus mutans dates back to the early 20th century, credited to Clarke in 1924. According to JA Lemos, "Clarke isolated an organism from carious lesions and called it Streptococcus mutans, because he thought the oval-shaped cells observed were mutant forms of streptococci. However, it was in the late 1950s when S. mutans gained widespread attention within the scientific community, and by the mid-1960s, clinical and animal-based laboratory studies depicted S. mutans as an important etiologic agent in dental caries" (Lemos,2019)

The discovery of Streptococcus mutans dates back to the early 20th century, credited to Clarke and Badsen in 1924. The pathogen's naming reflects its association with tooth decay and the mutan sugar it produces, impacting dental health worldwide.

Morphology

Streptococcus mutans is a non-motile bacteria. It does not have flagella, but it does have pili which supports its ability to adhere to tooth surfaces.

This image is a good example of the pili on the bacterium.

(Sara,2018)

Understanding Cell Wall Structure

Exploring the structure of the cell wall of Streptococcus mutans reveals insights into its Gram reaction and cell morphology. This knowledge is pivotal in understanding the pathogen's virulence mechanisms and interactions with its environment.

Sources

Streptococcus mutans

1.Facklam R. Details - Public Health Image Library(PHIL). phil.cdc.gov. Published 2024. https://phil.cdc.gov/Details.aspx?pid=1070

2. Lemos JA, Palmer SR, Zeng L, et al. The Biology of Streptococcus mutans. Microbiology Spectrum. 2019;7(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1128/microbiolspec.gpp3-0051-2018

3. Forssten SD, Björklund M, Ouwehand AC. Streptococcus mutans, Caries and Simulation Models. Nutrients. 2010;2(3):290-298. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu2030290

4. Streptococcus mutans - microbewiki. microbewiki.kenyon.edu. https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Streptococcus_mutans

5. Ryding S. Structure and role of pili in prokaryotes. News-Medical.net. Published October 30, 2018. https://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/Structure-and-Role-of-Pili-in-Prokaryotes.aspx

Self reflection

This information is all relevant to chapter 1 and 3 when we talked about the taxonomy and morphology of cells. Learning what those terms meant and how organisms are classified and named was very important for me to complete this project. In chapter 1, I learned how to correctly format the binomial name of bacteria, and the history on the evolution of taxonomy.

In chapter 3, we really got into detail on the morphology of cells and what their different shapes can look like. The gram-stain lab was essential for me because it gave me the ability to look at the gram stain for Streptococcus mutans and know that it is gram-positive and what that means.

Learn more about creating dynamic, engaging presentations with Prezi