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Infect Immun. 1972 February; 5(2): 263-266
Copyright © 1972 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Use of Specifically Labeled Sucrose for Comparison of Extracellular Glucan and Fructan Metabolism by Oral Streptococci

Department of Biochemistry and School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455

ABSTRACT

Sucrose labeled in the fructosyl (³H) and glucosyl (¹⁴C) moieties was used to quantitate extracellular polysaccharide production and degradation by cariogenic and noncariogenic oral streptococci. All of the strains produced glucan and fructan. Streptococcus salivarius produced primarily fructan, whereas S. mutans and S. sanguis produced more glucan than fructan. The cariogenic streptococci could degrade the fructan produced by noncariogenic strains. Although the soluble glucans from all of the strains were sensitive to dextranase, the insoluble glucan from S. mutans could be distinguished from the S. sanguis insoluble glucan by its greater resistance to this enzyme.