Rank: Species
Lineage: Bacteria;Spirochaetes;Spirochaetia;Spirochaetales;Spirochaetaceae;Treponema;Treponema denticola
Description: Treponema denticola. This organism is a member of the spirochaetales and is a motile, slender, helically shaped flexible organism. Motility is by rapid rotation around the long axis, flexation of the cell and locomotion along a helical path. The most distinctive property is the presence of periplasmic flagella wound around the helical protoplasmic cylinder and encased in an outer sheath. Obligately anaerobic growth occurs at 30-42°C, with a pH of 6.5-8.0. The bacterium is commonly found in the oral cavity of humans and often associated with periodontal disease, an inflammation of the gum tissue that frequently precedes bone resorbtion and subsequent tooth loss. Periodontal disease has now become a major concern in dentistry and it is estimated that 80% of adults in the USA have had periodontal disease at some point in their lives.
Reference Material:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/?term=Treponema%20denticola
