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Equine veterinary journal2019; 52(1); 67-75; doi: 10.1111/evj.13126

A microbiome analysis of equine peripheral dental caries using next generation sequencing.

Abstract: Although, peripheral caries (PC) affects almost half of UK horses, no comprehensive microbiological study has been performed on this disorder. As a high proportion of oral bacteria cannot be conventionally cultured, molecular microbiological techniques such as Next Generation Sequencing are required to examine the complex oral bacteria community. Objective: To identify the microbiota involved in equine PC, including comparing microbiota at the more commonly and severely affected three caudal cheek teeth with the less commonly affected three rostral cheek teeth. Methods: Equine dental plaque samples were collected from the palatal aspects of cheek teeth of 63 horses. DNA was isolated and amplified using PCR, targeting the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene and Next Generation Sequencing of these gene amplicons was performed. The acquired data were processed and analysed using Mothur and R. Results: Streptococcus species was the genus most commonly associated with equine PC, whereas Gemella species was the genus most associated with the control group. In a further analysis where the rostral and caudal cheek teeth were compared with each other and with the control group. Veillonella species was the most commonly associated genus with PC of the rostral cheek teeth, Streptococcus species was the most associated genus with the caudal cheek teeth, and Corynebacterium with the control group. Conclusions: Some bacteria can have multiple heterogeneous copies of the 16S rRNA gene, which can affect the estimation of their relative abundance. Conclusions: Similar to caries studies in other species, acidogenic and aciduric microorganisms including Streptococcus species were found to be associated with equine peripheral caries.
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Publication Date: 2019-05-16 PubMed ID: 31006119DOI: 10.1111/evj.13126Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research paper is a study on the dental condition known as peripheral caries (PC) in horses, where the role of different bacteria was identified using advanced sequencing techniques.

Introduction and Objectives

  • The study focused on peripheral caries (PC), a dental condition affecting nearly half of horses in the UK. However, there had been no expansive microbiological study on this disorder prior to this research.
  • The main objective was to identify the bacteria involved in equine PC by comparing the bacterial profiles of the three most commonly and severely affected cheek teeth and the three less afflicted on each side of the horse’s mouth.

Methods and Procedures

  • Equine dental plaque samples were collected from various parts of the cheek teeth of 63 different horses.
  • These samples underwent DNA isolation followed by amplification using a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), specifically targeting the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene.
  • Next generation sequencing techniques were then applied to these amplified gene sections.
  • Resulting data were processed and analysed using software programs Mothur and R.

Results of the Study

  • The researchers found the bacterial genus Streptococcus to be most commonly associated with equine PC, while Gemella was most associated with the non-affected control group.
  • When comparing the front (rostral) and back (caudal) cheek teeth amongst each other and with the control group, Veillonella was most commonly associated with PC in the rostral cheek teeth. Streptococcus was prevalent in the affected caudal cheek teeth, and Corynebacterium was found in the control group.

Conclusion and Implications

  • The researchers warn that bacteria can have multiple variable copies of the 16S rRNA gene, which could impact the estimation of their relative abundance in this kind of study.
  • The study concludes that similar to research in other species, acidogenic and aciduric microorganisms including Streptococcus species were found associated with equine peripheral caries.
  • This research highlights the role of specific bacteria in equine dental disease, potentially assisting in future preventative strategies and treatments for equine dental caries.

Cite This Article

APA
Borkent D, Reardon RJM, McLACHLAN G, Glendinning L, Dixon PM. (2019). A microbiome analysis of equine peripheral dental caries using next generation sequencing. Equine Vet J, 52(1), 67-75. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13126

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 52
Issue: 1
Pages: 67-75

Researcher Affiliations

Borkent, D
  • Division of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK.
Reardon, R J M
  • Division of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK.
McLACHLAN, G
  • Division of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK.
Glendinning, L
  • Division of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK.
Dixon, P M
  • Division of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Bacteria / genetics
  • Bacteria / isolation & purification
  • Dental Caries / microbiology
  • Dental Caries / veterinary
  • Dental Plaque / microbiology
  • Dental Plaque / veterinary
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / microbiology
  • Horses

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Citations

This article has been cited 6 times.
  1. Pimenta J, Pinto AR, Saavedra MJ, Cotovio M. Equine Gram-Negative Oral Microbiota: An Antimicrobial Resistances Watcher?. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023 Apr 21;12(4).
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  2. Wu YF, Salamanca E, Chen IW, Su JN, Chen YC, Wang SY, Sun YS, Teng NC, Chang WJ. Xylitol-Containing Chewing Gum Reduces Cariogenic and Periodontopathic Bacteria in Dental Plaque-Microbiome Investigation. Front Nutr 2022;9:882636.
    doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.882636pubmed: 35634392google scholar: lookup
  3. Townsend KS, Johnson PJ, LaCarrubba AM, Martin LM, Ericsson AC. Exodontia associated bacteremia in horses characterized by next generation sequencing. Sci Rep 2021 Mar 18;11(1):6314.
    doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-85484-zpubmed: 33737590google scholar: lookup
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  5. Wang M, Yang X, Li Y, Jiang M, Chen B, Yang W, Ma N, He S, Wang C. Exploring the influence of psychological factors on the comorbidity of dental caries and obesity in adolescents from the perspective of the oral-gut-brain axis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2025;15:1659042.
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  6. Lacerenza MD, Arantes JA, Reginato GM, Finardi GLF, Marchi PH, Vendramini THA, Corrêa RR, Pereira PAM, Valadão CAA, Dória RGS. Microbiome and Dental Changes in Horses Fed a High Soluble Carbohydrate Diet. Animals (Basel) 2025 Aug 29;15(17).
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