Spatial ecology of <i>Haemophilus and Aggregatibacter</i> in the human oral cavity

Abstract

Understanding the microbial ecology of the mouth is essential for comprehending human physiology. This study employs metapangenomics to reveal that various <i>Haemophilus</i> and <i>Aggregatibacter</i> species exhibit distinct ecological preferences within the oral cavity of healthy individuals, thereby supporting the site-specialist hypothesis. Additionally, it was observed that the gene pool of different <i>Haemophilus</i> species correlates with their ecological niches. These findings shed light on the significance of key metabolic functions in shaping microbial distribution patterns and interspecies interactions in the oral ecosystem.