Metabolic activities of S mutans were selectively affected by Procion Blue, known to cause covalent bonds and stable cross links in relation to carbohydrate and protein. In this study, despite the reduction in extra polysaccharide, the level of activity of glucosyltransferase was not significantly changed from the control level and colonial morphology was not transformed from smooth to rough. The results of the investigation imply at least interference with formation of extracellular polysaccharide, possibly in the bacterial cell wall.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Gibbons, R.J. ; Berman, K.S.; Knoettner , P.; and Kapsimalis , B.: Dental Caries and Alveolar Bone Loss in Gnotobiotic Rats Infected with Capsule-Forming Streptococci of Human Origin, Arch Oral Biol11:549-560, 1966.
2.
Frostell, G. ; Keyes, P.H.; and Larson, R.H.: Effect of Various Sugars and Sugar Substitutes on Dental Caries in Hamsters and Rats , J Nutr93:65-76, 1967.
3.
Zinner, D.D. ; Jablon, J.M.; Aran , A.P.; and Saslow, M.S.: Comparative Pathogenicity of Streptococci of Human Origin in Hamster Caries, Arch Oral Biol11:1419-1420, 1966.
4.
Larson, R.H., and Fitzgerald, R.J. : Caries Development in the African White-tailed Rat (Mystromys albicaudatus), J Dent Res47:746-749, 1971.
5.
Duany, L.F.; Zinner, D.D.; and Jerome, L.J.: Bone Loss and Caries in Rats Infected with Human Streptococci, J Dent Res50:460-465, 1971.
6.
Krasse, B., Jordan, H.V.; Edwardsson, S., Svensson, I.; and Trell, L.: The Occurrence of Certain "Caries-inducing" Streptococci in Human Dental Plaque Materials. With Special Reference to Frequency and Activity of Caries, Arch Oral Biol13:911-918, 1968.
7.
De Stoppelaar, J.D.; Van Houte, J.; and Backer Dirks, 0. : The Relationship Between Extracellular Polysaccharide-producing Streptococci and Smooth Surface Caries in 13-Year-Old Children, Caries Res3:190-199, 1969.
8.
Littleton, N.W. ; Kakehashi, S.; and Fitzgerald , R.J.: Recovery of "Caries-inducing" Streptococci from Carious Lesions in the Teeth of Children , Arch Oral Biol15:461-464, 1970.
9.
Shklair, I.L. ; Keene, H.J.; and Simonson , L.G.: Distribution and Frequency of Streptococcus mutans in Caries-Active Individuals, J Dent Res51:882, 1972.
10.
Gibbons, R.J. , and Banghart, S.B.: Synthesis of Extracellular Dextran by Cariogenic Bacteria and its Presence in Human Dental Plaque, Arch Oral Biol12:11-24, 1967.
11.
Jordan, H.V. , and Keyes, P.H.: In Vitro Methods for the Study of Plaque Formation and Carious Lesions, Arch Oral Biol11 :793-801, 1966.
12.
Scherp, W.: Dental Caries: Prospects for Prevention. Science173:1199-1205, 1971.
13.
Goland, P.P. , and Grand, N.G.: Chloro-s-triazines as Markers and Fixatives for the Study of Growth in Teeth and Bone, Am J Phys Anthropol29:201-218, 1968.
14.
Guggenheim, B., and Schroeder, H.E.: Biochemical and Morphological Aspects of Extracellular Polysaccharides Produced by Cariogenic Streptococci , Helv Odont Acta11:131-152, 1967.
15.
Bailey, R.W. ; Barker, S.A.; Bourne , E.J.; and Stacey, M.: Immuno-polysaccharides. Part VI. The Isolation and Properties of the Dextransucrose of Betacoccus arabinosus, J Chem Soc3:3530-3536, 1957 .
16.
Shaffer, P.A. , and Hartmann, A.F.: Determination of Copper and Its Use in Sugar Analysis. 11. The lodometric Methods for the Determination of Reducing Sugars in Blood, Urine, Milk and Other Solutions, J Biol Chem45:365-389, 1921.
17.
Lowry, 0.; Rosbrough, N.; Farr, A.; and Randall, R.: Protein Measurement with Folin Phenol Reagent, J Biol Chem193 :265-275, 1951.
18.
Hicuchi, M. ; Endo, K.; Hoshino , E.; and Araya, S.: Preferential Induction of Rough Variants in Streptococcus mutans by Ethidium Bromide, J Dent Res52:1070-1075, 1973.
