Effect of Biofilm Model, Mode of Growth, and Strain on <i>Streptococcus </i><i>m</i><i>utans</i> Protein Expression as Determined by Two-Dimensional Difference Gel Electrophoresis

Abstract

The effect of biofilm model, strain and mode of growth (biofilm or planktonic) on protein expression in Streptococcus mutans, a dental pathogen, was determined by two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis. The bacterial strain (21−28% differentially expressed proteins) and the biofilm model (0.3−7.8% differential expression) used have a much larger effect on protein expression than the mode of growth (0.2−0.7% differential expression), something that has been ignored in biofilm studies up to now. Keywords: strains • biofilm model • Streptococcus mutans • protein expression • 2D-DIGE • planktonic bacteria