A Review of Saccharibacteria (TM7) in the Human Oral Microbiome

The recent cultivation and characterization of Nanosynbacter lyticus type strain TM7x (HMT_952)—the first Saccharibacteria strain co-isolated as an ultra-small obligate parasite with its bacterial host from the human oral cavity—provide a rare glimpse into the novel symbiotic lifestyle of these enigmatic human-associated bacteria. TM7x is unique among all bacteria: it has an ultra-small size and lives on the surface of its host bacterium. Here, we review the current knowledge on the diversity and unique biology of this recently uncovered group of ultra-small bacteria within the human oral microbiome.

Bor B, Bedree JK, Shi W, McLean JS*, He X. Saccharibacteria (TM7) in the Human Oral Microbiome. J Dent Res. 2019 Mar 20:22034519831671. doi: 10.1177/0022034519831671. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30894042.