A spatial gradient of bacterial diversity in the human oral cavity shaped by salivary flow

Diana M. Proctor, Julia A. Fukuyama, Peter M. Loomer, Gary C. Armitage, Stacey A. Lee, Nicole M. Davis, Mark I. Ryder, Susan P. Holmes and David A. Relman ()
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Diana M. Proctor: Stanford University School of Medicine
Julia A. Fukuyama: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute
Peter M. Loomer: University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry
Gary C. Armitage: University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry
Stacey A. Lee: University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry
Nicole M. Davis: Stanford University School of Medicine
Mark I. Ryder: University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry
Susan P. Holmes: Stanford University
David A. Relman: Stanford University School of Medicine

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Spatial and temporal patterns in microbial communities provide insights into the forces that shape them, their functions and roles in health and disease. Here, we used spatial and ecological statistics to analyze the role that saliva plays in structuring bacterial communities of the human mouth using >9000 dental and mucosal samples. We show that regardless of tissue type (teeth, alveolar mucosa, keratinized gingiva, or buccal mucosa), surface-associated bacterial communities vary along an ecological gradient from the front to the back of the mouth, and that on exposed tooth surfaces, the gradient is pronounced on lingual compared to buccal surfaces. Furthermore, our data suggest that this gradient is attenuated in individuals with low salivary flow due to Sjögren’s syndrome. Taken together, our findings imply that salivary flow influences the spatial organization of microbial communities and that biogeographical patterns may be useful for understanding host physiological processes and for predicting disease.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-02900-1

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