Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36127648›Full record

ArticleBMC oral health2022

Enterococcus faecalis rnc gene modulates its susceptibility to disinfection agents: a novel approach against biofilm.

Mengying Xia, Niya Zhuo, Shirui Ren, Hongyu Zhang, Yingming Yang, Lei Lei, Tao Hu

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC oral health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Evaluating Pharmacokinetics and Toxicity of Potential Therapeutics Against Enterococcus faecalis in Endodontic Pathologies.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. The NagY antiterminator inMicrobiology spectrum · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Mengying Xia *Department of Preventive Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, NO. 14 Third Section Renmin South Road, Chengdu, China.
Niya Zhuo *Department of Preventive Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, NO. 14 Third Section Renmin South Road, Chengdu, China.
Shirui RenDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, NO. 14 Third Section Renmin South Road, Chengdu, China.
Hongyu ZhangDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, NO. 14 Third Section Renmin South Road, Chengdu, China.
Yingming YangDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, NO. 14 Third Section Renmin South Road, Chengdu, China. ymyang@scu.edu.cn.
Lei LeiDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, NO. 14 Third Section Renmin South Road, Chengdu, China. leilei@scu.edu.cn.
Tao HuDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, NO. 14 Third Section Renmin South Road, Chengdu, China.
Sichuan University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEnterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) plays an important role in the failure of root canal treatment and refractory periapical periodontitis. As an important virulence factor of E. faecalis, extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) serves as a matrix to wrap bacteria and form biofilms. The homologous rnc gene, encoding Ribonuclease III, has been reported as a regulator of EPS synthesis. In order to develop novel anti-biofilm targets, we investigated the effects of the rnc gene on the biological characteristics of E. faecalis, and compared the biofilm tolerance towards the typical root canal irrigation agents and traditional Chinese medicine fluid Pudilan.

methodsE. faecalis rnc gene overexpression (rnc+) and low-expression (rnc-) strains were constructed. The growth curves of E. faecalis ATCC29212, rnc+, and rnc- strains were obtained to study the regulatory effect of the rnc gene on E. faecalis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and crystal violet staining assays were performed to evaluate the morphology and composition of E. faecalis biofilms. Furthermore, the wild-type and mutant biofilms were treated with 5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), 2% chlorhexidine (CHX), and Pudilan. The residual viabilities of E. faecalis biofilms were evaluated using crystal violet staining and colony counting assays.

resultsThe results demonstrated that the rnc gene could promote bacterial growth and EPS synthesis, causing the EPS-barren biofilm morphology and low EPS/bacteria ratio. Both the rnc+ and rnc- biofilms showed increased susceptibility to the root canal irrigation agents. The 5% NaOCl group showed the highest biofilm removing effect followed by Pudilan and 2% CHX. The colony counting results showed almost complete removal of bacteria in the 5% NaOCl, 2% CHX, and Chinese medicine agents' groups.

conclusionsThis study concluded that the rnc gene could positively regulate bacterial proliferation, EPS synthesis, and biofilm formation in E. faecalis. The rnc mutation caused an increase in the disinfectant sensitivity of biofilm, indicating a potential anti-biofilm target. In addition, Pudilan exhibited an excellent ability to remove E. faecalis biofilm.

Indexed as

DisinfectantsEnterococcus faecalisChlorhexidineDisinfectionGentian VioletHumansRibonuclease IIISodium HypochloriteVirulence FactorsChlorhexidineDisinfectantsGentian VioletRibonuclease IIISodium HypochloriteVirulence FactorsBiofilmEnterococcus faecalisExtracellular polysacchariderncTraditional Chinese medicine

Identifiers

PMID36127648
PMCPMC9490916
OpenAlexW4296713977

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.