Dubai, United Arab Emirates – A research team from the University of Tokyo announced the discovery of a new type of DNA, called “inuclease”.
They are huge rings of DNA found inside oral bacteria.
It is believed to play a beneficial role in supporting oral health and the immune system, and may contribute to reducing the risk of some types of cancer.
Researcher Yuya Kiguchi, a microbiologist at the University of Tokyo, explained that the team discovered inoclase during a comprehensive study of saliva samples from 56 volunteers.
Its spread was later confirmed in about 476 other samples.
The results showed that about 75 percent of people may carry these genetic rings in their mouths without knowing it.
Kiguchi added that the large size of these rings –about 350,000 base pairs– may have been the reason they were not discovered previously.
The reason for this is that traditional DNA sequencing techniques rely on dividing genetic material into small parts.
This in turn makes it difficult to reassemble long sequences.
To overcome this challenge, researchers have developed a new genetic sequencing technology that helps remove human DNA from samples.
It also facilitates bacterial DNA analysis.
Enucleases contain various genes, including resistance to oxidative stress, repair of DNA damage, and genes associated with the cell wall.
Which indicates its role in protecting bacteria and adapting them to the changing oral environment.
Interestingly, people with head and neck cancer were less likely to tolerate these episodes.
This raises questions about its potential relationship to cancer prevention, or whether its low presence is linked to other factors that increase the risk of infection.
The team intends to continue studying the functions of genes found in inoclase, to find out whether they are transmissible between individuals, and their potential impact on oral health.
“It’s like finding a book with extra footnotes, and we’re just beginning to read it to understand what it really means,” Kiguchi concluded.
