Abstract
This review describes the surface structures (fibrils and fimbriae), on oral bacteria that can be responsible for adhesion to buccal mucosa, teeth and other bacteria (coaggregation). Fibrils and fimbriae have been found on a number of different species of Streptococcus, Actinomyces and Bacteroides, and are morphologically and biochemically distinct from each other. Either structure can be present on different strains of the same species of Streptococcus. Fibrils or fimbriae are present on different species of Bacteroides, and Actinomyces species only exhibit fimbriae. The evidence for the existence of two distinct types of surface structure is evaluated. Fimbriae are flexible peritrichous structures composed of protein, with sub‐unit molecular weights varying from 43 kDa for Bacteroides gingivalis 381 fimbriae, to 65 kDa for Actinomyces viscosus T14V fimbriae. Fimbriae are thin (3–5 nm wide) and are characterised by a definite width all along their length. Fibrils can be either peritrichous, or less commo...
Published Version
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