Porphyromonas gingivalis: Major periodontopathic pathogen overview

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a gram-negative oral anaerobe that is involved in the pathogenesis of periodontitis and is a member of more than 500 bacterial species that live in the oral cavity. this anaerobic bacterium is a natural member of the oral microbiome,yet it can become highly destructive (termed pathobiont) and proliferate to high cell numbers in periodontal lesions: this is attributed to its arsenal of specialized virulence factors. the purpose of this review is to provide an overview of one of the main periodontal pathogens - porphyromonas gingivalis. this bacterium,along with treponema denticola and tannerella forsythia,constitute the red complex, a prototype polybacterial pathogenic consortium in periodontitis. this review outlines porphyromonas gingivalis structure,its metabolism,its ability to colonize the epithelial cells,and its influence upon the host immunity. © 2014 jaroslav mysak et al.