Dental biofilms contain DNase I-resistant Z-DNA and G-quadruplexes but alternative DNase overcomes this resistance

• Published in: NPJ biofilms and microbiomes Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 80 - 15
• Main Authors: Evans, Dominique C. S., Kristensen, Mathilde F., Minero, Gabriel Antonio S., Palmén, Lorena G., Knap, Inge, Tiwari, Manish K., Schlafer, Sebastian, Meyer, Rikke L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 19.05.2025; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/326/41; 631/326/46; 692/700/3032/3039/3049; Antibodies; Bacteria; Biofilms; Biofilms - drug effects; Biofilms - growth & development; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell surface; Chloroquine; Confocal microscopy; Conformation; Dental caries; Dental Caries - microbiology; Deoxyribonuclease; Deoxyribonuclease I - metabolism; DNA structure; DNA, Bacterial - chemistry; Environmental DNA; Enzymes; G-Quadruplexes; Humans; Life Sciences; Medical Microbiology; Microbial Ecology; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Microscopy; Microscopy, Confocal; Oral hygiene; Streptococcus mutans - drug effects; Streptococcus mutans - genetics; Streptococcus mutans - physiology; Z-form

Extracellular DNA (eDNA) in bacterial biofilms can form non-canonical structures like Z-DNA and G-quadruplex (G4), which enhance biofilm resilience by providing protection against mammalian DNases. However, the conformation of eDNA in dental biofilms remains unexplored. Using fluorescence immunolabe...