Play all audios:
The microbiology of the oral cavity has been a topic of research for microbiologists ever since Antonie van Leeuwenhoek first spotted 'animalcules' in scrapings from his teeth in
the 1670s. From these humble beginnings, oral microbiology has grown into a multidisciplinary science, and over the past 50 years the oral microbiota has become one of the best characterized
human microbial ecosystems. A healthy mouth contains somewhere between 100 and 200 bacterial species, many of which are present in polymicrobial biofilms. On page 471, Paul Kolenbrander and
colleagues take a detailed look at oral biofilm formation, including the initial adherence of bacteria to teeth and oral tissues, and the roles of interspecies cooperation and signalling in
both biofilm formation and pathogenesis. On page 481, Richard Darveau examines the microbial aetiology of periodontitis, a chronic inflammation of the gums that affects millions of people
each year. This issue also includes the first in our new article series on Applied and Industrial Microbiology. The potential applications for microorganisms and their products are many and
varied and include the generation of high-value products such as drugs, chemicals, fuels and even electricity. On page 511, Jan van der Meer and Shimshon Belkin begin the series by reviewing
the latest progress in the development of bacterial bioreporters. Although there have been many proof-of-concept studies illustrating the utility of bacterial bioreporter assays for
detecting toxicants in air, water, soil and foodstuffs, there have been surprisingly few commercial applications. Van der Meer and Belkin take a critical look at the field and the potential
for future commercial success. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE In this issue. _Nat Rev Microbiol_ 8, 461 (2010).
https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro2397 Download citation * Issue Date: July 2010 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro2397 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be
able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing
initiative