Uncultured Members of the Oral Microbiome

Around one-third of oral bacteria cannot be cultured using conventional methods. Some bacteria have specific requirements for nutrients while others may be inhibited by substances in the culture media or produced by other bacteria. Oral bacteria have evolved as part of multispecies biofilms, and many thus require interaction with other bacterial species to grow. In vitro models have been developed that mimic these interactions and have been used to grow previously uncultivated organisms.