Cell Host & Microbe
Volume 22, Issue 3, 13 September 2017, Pages 269-278.e3
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Article
Host Genetic Control of the Oral Microbiome in Health and Disease

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2017.08.013Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • Heritable components of the oral microbiome identified in a child twin cohort

  • Heritable bacteria are not associated with dental caries

  • Environmentally derived bacteria tend to co-occur and are potentially cariogenic

  • Heritable oral bacteria may be lost over time

Summary

Host-associated microbial communities are influenced by both host genetics and environmental factors. However, factors controlling the human oral microbiome and their impact on disease remain to be investigated. To determine the combined and relative effects of host genotype and environment on oral microbiome composition and caries phenotypes, we profiled the supragingival plaque microbiome of 485 dizygotic and monozygotic twins aged 5–11. Oral microbiome similarity always increased with shared host genotype, regardless of caries state. Additionally, although most of the variation in the oral microbiome was determined by environmental factors, highly heritable oral taxa were identified. The most heritable oral bacteria were not associated with caries state, did not tend to co-occur with other taxa, and decreased in abundance with age and sugar consumption frequency. Thus, while the human oral microbiome composition is influenced by host genetic background, potentially cariogenic taxa are likely not controlled by genetic factors.

Keywords

human microbiome
oral microbiome
16S
twins

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These authors contributed equally

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