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. 2025 May 29;17(1):2508483.
doi: 10.1080/20002297.2025.2508483. eCollection 2025.

Coaggregation of oral pathogens by postbiotic lactobacilli

Patrick Golletz  1 , Sissel Damsbo Jensen  2 , Madeline Collignon  1 , Charles Hall  3 , Amanda Batoul Khamas  2 , Andreas Møllebjerg  2 , Sebastian Schlafer  4 , Rikke Louise Meyer  2   5 , Karolina Tykwinska  1
Affiliations

Coaggregation of oral pathogens by postbiotic lactobacilli

Patrick Golletz et al. J Oral Microbiol. .

Abstract

Introduction: Coaggregation may reduce the abundance of bacteria in physiological fluids, such as saliva, as aggregated bacteria are cleared more easily than planktonic cells. This study aimed to identify Lactobacillus strains that coaggregate with oral pathogens with the perspective of using this approach to improve oral health.

Material and methods: Coaggregation of 719 postbiotic Lactobacillus strains with target pathogens Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Prevotella intermedia was quantified by absorbance. Coaggregation efficacy of selected strains with clinical isolates and in the presence of other salivary bacteria was determined by flow cytometry. Brightfield and confocal microscopy were applied to characterize the size and structure of coaggregates. Pangenome analysis was used to identify genomic regions potentially involved in the coaggregation activity.

Results: Two strains, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus 1B06 and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei 8A12, coaggregated efficiently with all three target pathogens and clinical isolates of the same species even in the presence of other salivary bacteria. The coaggregation capability of the selected Lactobacillus strains was unique and could not be reproduced with other genetically similar lactic acid bacteria of the same species.

Conclusion: Lactobacillus strains capable of coaggregating oral pathogens were identified as promising candidates for the development of new postbiotic ingredients for oral hygiene products.

Keywords: Fusobacterium nucleatum; Porhyromonas gingivalis; Postbiotic; gingivitis; halitosis; lactobacillus; malodor; oral health; screening.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the study was funded by Novozymes A/S and that K. Tykwinska, P. Golletz, M. Collignon and C. Hall are employees of Novonesis A/S.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Absorbance-based coaggregation assay results.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Flow cytometry-based analysis of coaggregation.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
FC-based analysis of coaggregation between selected test and target strains.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Coaggregation efficiency at different test:target strain ratios.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Bright field images and analysis of aggregate size and distribution of test and target strains.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Distribution of target and test strain cells in coaggregates.
Figure 7.
Figure 7.
Coaggregation of test or target strains with salivary bacteria analysed by FC-based coaggregation assay.
Figure 8.
Figure 8.
Flow cytometry-based analysis of the interaction between test strains, target strains and salivary microbiota.
Figure 9.
Figure 9.
Coaggregation of test strains with clinical isolates of the target pathogens.
Figure 10.
Figure 10.
Flow cytometry-based analysis of coaggregation between target strains and selected L. rhamnosus strains.
Figure 11.
Figure 11.
The genomic organization of the EPS gene clusters from L. rhamnosus strains 1B06, 1, 2, and GG.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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