Anticaries Mechanisms and Prospects of Streptococcus Mutans Bacteriophages and Their Lytic Enzymes

doi:10.13701/j.cnki.kqyxyj.2026.10.002

Abstract

Abstract: The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data indicate that the incidence rates of dental caries are exhibiting an increasing trend both globally and in China. Conventional prevention and treatment strategies are facing limitations such as antimicrobial resistance, inadequate biofilm penetration, and disruption of the oral microecological balance. This review synthesizes research progress on Streptococcus mutans phages and their lysins, analyzing phage evolutionary traits, lysin structural modules, and antimicrobial mechanisms in the complex oral environment. Findings demonstrate that phages precisely lyse cariogenic pathogens while degrading biofilm matrices, and phage-encoded lysins synergistically disrupt peptidoglycan networks through catalytic and binding domains-both exhibiting unique advantages in maintaining oral ecological equilibrium. Persistent challenges include limited host spectrum, suboptimal delivery efficiency, and resistance risks. The review proposes targeted solutions encompassing genetic engineering, nanodelivery systems, and multimodal synergistic approaches to establish precision-targeted anti-caries systems with enhanced biosafety.

Key words: phage therapy, lysin, dental caries prevention, Streptococcus mutans, biofilm

WANG Longyu, SU Shaochen. Anticaries Mechanisms and Prospects of Streptococcus Mutans Bacteriophages and Their Lytic Enzymes[J]. Journal of Oral Science Research, 2026, 42(10): 833-838.

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