Editorial: the oral microbiome in an ecological perspective.

Egija Zaura,Alex Mira

doi:10.3389/fcimb.2015.00039

Abstract

Editorial: the oral microbiome in an ecological perspective.

Highlights

Pure cultures have been the basis for microbiology research over a century
We must enter a second phase in which more functional approaches are performed, including bona fide metagenomic and metatranscriptomic approaches in which the total gene repertoire and actively expressed genes in the community are identified under different circumstances, without the biases imposed by PCR or cloning procedures
We believe that understanding the basis for these ecological interactions will provide formidable insights to diagnose oral diseases and to prevent its development, and hope that this special issue may contribute to that purpose

Summary

Introduction

Pure cultures have been the basis for microbiology research over a century. working with clonal lineages in the laboratory has allowed fundamental advances in microbial physiology and genetics, microorganisms are never alone. The human body is no exception, and the oral cavity contains hundreds of bacterial species, that together with fungal and viral inhabitants form highly complex communities where they interact with each other and with the host.

Results

Conclusion