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

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

3/21/19

figure 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.