|
Jiangyun
Sheng
Research Assistant Professor Department of Microbiology Primary Academic Appointment: Center Affiliation: GEBS Cluster Affiliations: |
|
| Contact Information | ||
| University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry 601 Elmwood Ave, Box 672 Rochester, New York 14642 |
Phone: (585) 275-1675 Room: 2-6526 E-Mail: Jiangyun_Sheng@ URMC.Rochester.edu |
|
- Research Focus
- Acid-Base Physiology and Stress Responses of Dental Plaque Bacteria Related to Oral Infectious Diseases
- Research Overview
- Dental caries and periodontal diseases are the most common oral diseases and then affect almost every individual in the world. Oral health with freedom from these infectious diseases is an indicator of overall well-being and quality of life. Our current research is focused on the physiology of oral pathogens, such as cariogenic Streptococcus mutans, and on Fusobacterium nucleatum involved in gingivitis and periodontal diseases. We have previously found that F(H+)-ATPases are the major engine of acid tolerance which plays a critical role in cariogenicity, as dental caries mainly occurs at low pH values. Ongoing studies have demonstrated that F(H+)-ATPases can work in the synthase mode during acidification. This finding indicates a need to re-evaluate basic energetics of microbial acid physiology of oral streptococci. Future work will be extended in studies of a variety of other bacteria and in development of possible strategies to disrupt ATP synthesis involving ATP synthase. We are also interested in the study of oxidative stress responses in S. mutans, including the determination of factors that induce the responses, the physiologic regulation of the responses, the major cell targets for oxidative damage, etc.
- Translational studies, which use information from basic research mentioned above, are carried out in our lab. For example, we have found that zinc cation, benzimidazoles, fluoride, and other agents can work separately or in combination to enhance acid or oxidative stresses within oral pathogens. Our findings are expected to lead to development of more potent prophylactics and therapeutics for dental caries and periodontal diseases.
- Research Papers
- Sheng J, Marquis RE. "Malolactic fermentation by Streptococcus mutans." FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2007 May 8;
- Sheng J and Marquis RE. "Enhanced acid resistance of oral streptococci at lethal pH values associated with acid-tolerant catabolism and with ATP synthase activity." In Press, FEMS Microbiol Lett.
- Sheng J, Nguyen PTM, Baldeck JD, Olsson J, and Marquis RE. "Antimicrobial actions of benzimidazoles against the oral anaerobes Fusobacterium nucleatum and Prevotella intermedia." In Press, Arch Oral Biol.
- Koo H, Sheng J, Nguyen PTM, and Marquis RE. "Co-operative inhibition by fluoride and zinc of glucosyltransferase production and polysaccharide synthesis by mutans streptococci in suspension cultures and biofilms." FEMS Microbiol Lett 254:134-140, 2006
- Sheng J, Nguyen PTM, and Marquis RE. "Multi-target antimicrobial actions of zinc against oral anaerobes." Arch Oral Biol 50:747-757, 2005
- Phan TN, Buckner T, Sheng J, Baldeck JD, and Marquis RE. "Physiologic actions of zinc related to inhibition of acid and alkali production by oral streptococci in suspensions and biofilms." Oral Microbiol Immunol 19:31-38, 2004
PubMed is maintained by the National Library of Medicine and provides complete abstracts of all publications,
as well as links to the full text of many articles (at journal homepages).