California chemists discover most naturally variable protein in dental plaque bacterium

Sept. 7, 2011
Chemists from UC San Diego have discovered the most naturally variable protein known to date in a bacterium that is a key player in the formation of dental plaque.

Two UC San Diego chemists recently discovered the most naturally variable protein known to date in a bacterium that is a key player in the formation of dental plaque.

"The chemists, who announced their discovery in this week's early online edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, say they believe the extreme variability of the protein they discovered in the bacterium Treponema denticola evolved to adhere to the hundreds of different kinds of other bacteria that inhabit people's mouths ..."

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