study of oral pathogenic microbe. Prevotella intermedia strain:OMA14

The Gram-negative oral anaerobe is major periodontal pathogens in human, frequently isolated from periodontal pockets of patients with chronic periodontitis. Such periodontal pathogens were identified as red and orange complex bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia etc.). Previous studies indicated a number of potent virulence factors of Porphyromonas gingivalis such as cysteine proteinase, gingipains and fimbria. From genomic information of P. gingivalis, we found a novel secretion system (type IX secretion system) that translocate virulence factors to cell surface. It suggested that the genomic information was indispensable to elucidate virulence factors in other periodontal pathogens. This project try to determine the whole genome sequence of periodontal pathogens, then to elucidate there pathogenicity comprehensively.