Spatial mapping of polymicrobial communities reveals a precise biogeography associated with human dental caries
Dongyeop Kim, Juan P. Barraza, Rodrigo Alex Arthur, Anderson T. Hara, Karl J. Lewis, Yuan Liu, Elizabeth Scisci, Evlambia Hajishengallis, Marvin Whiteley, Hyun Koo
Abstract
Significance Dental caries remains an unresolved public health problem. The etiology is poorly understood, as the oral cavity harbors diverse communities of microorganisms. Using multiple imaging modalities on human teeth from patients with caries, we discovered a microbial community precisely arranged in a corona-like architecture. Moreover, this organization is mediated by the pathogen Streptococcus mutans through production of an extracellular scaffold that directs positioning of other oral microbes. We developed a methodology to quantify the spatial structure of microbial communities at the micron scale and found a precise spatial patterning of bacteria associated with localized caries onset. These findings are relevant as we approach the post-microbiome era, whereby quantifying the community structural organization may be essential for understanding microbiome function.