Team:UT Dallas/Project

The Problem
     Cavities have been a problem faced by many people worldwide. Streptococcus mutans has been determined to be the primary contributor to dental plaque and in the formation of dental cavities. S. mutans is able to do this by converting sucrose, which is already available in the mouth, into lactic acid, contributing to plaque formation. Their capability to rapidly ferment lactic acid under low pH levels helps create cavities in conjunction which adherence to the biofilm.
     In the oral cavity, biofilms cover a majority of the surfaces. Dextran is the polysaccharide matrix that anchors the bacteria together to create the optimal platform for creation of the biofilm, and subsequently dental caries. Biofilms consist of communities of disease-causing bacteria on the teeth that contribute to dental plaque, causing tooth decay and gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis. By adhering to the enamel of the the tooth, harmful bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans are able to excrete a slimy, yellowish substance called plaque which reproduce to form colonies.

Tying It All Together
     In order to create the most effective tooth-decay prevention device, we will attempt to create several different potential combinations of our parts to exploit these characteristics of cavity formation due to S. mutans. Possibilities include: creating a constitutive CSP producer, utilizing nspC along with the repression system, or even program nspC to be released upon detection of the CSP quorum signalling molecule by our E. coli. Ultimately, the use of Dex in each of our constructs would facilitate interaction of our chassis with the biofilm environment and aid in destruction of the S. mutans cells.


Our project entails selectively fighting off this bacteria through 3 different ways:

CscR and FruR

Competence Stimulating Protein, and/or

Destroying the biofilm upon which the bacteria grows through NspC, Norspermidine.

Take a look at our Judging Criteria for more information about our finished project.