Bacteriocin-like activity of oral Fusobacterium nucleatum isolated from human and non-human primates

fusobacterium nucleatum is indigenous of the human oral cavity and has been involved in different infectious processes. the production of bacteriocin-like substances may be important in regulation of bacterial microbiota in oral cavity. the ability to produce bacteriocin-like substances by 80 oral f. nucleatum isolates obtained from periodontal patients, healthy individuals and cebus apella monkeys, was examinated. 17.5% of all tested isolates showed auto-antagonism and 78.8% iso- or hetero-antagonism. no isolate from monkey was capable to produce auto-inhibition. in this study, the antagonistic substances production was variable in all tested isolates. most of the f. nucleatum showed antagonistic activity against tested reference strains. these data suggest a possible participation of these substances on the oral microbial ecology in humans and animals. however, the role of bacteriocins in regulating dental plaque microbiota in vivo is discussed.