Journal article
Specificity of the glucan-binding lectin of Streptococcus cricetus
Infection and immunity, Vol.56(8), pp.1864-1872
08/1988
DOI: 10.1128/iai.56.8.1864-1872.1988
PMCID: PMC259494
PMID: 3397177
Abstract
The specificity of the glucan-binding lectin (GBL) of Streptococcus cricetus AHT was determined. Examination of the kinetics of aggregation of cell suspensions with glucans containing various percentages of alpha-1,6, alpha-1,4, alpha-1,3, and alpha-1,2 anomeric linkages revealed that only glucans with at least 80% alpha-1,6 linkages promoted strong aggregation. Moreover, only linear glucans with molecular weights greater than 5 X 10(5) were capable of causing rapid aggregation of the bacteria. The lectin was observed to be present on S. cricetus strains, on Streptococcus sobrinus, and on several Streptococcus mutants strains. Preincubation of suspensions of S. cricetus AHT with glucan T10 (molecular weight of 10,000) before the addition of high-molecular-weight glucan resulted in competitive inhibition in a concentration-dependent manner. Inhibition was achieved also with isomaltopentaose, isomaltohexaose, and isomaltooctaose, but at higher concentrations than glucan T10. In contrast, no inhibition was observed with maltoheptaose, providing additional evidence for the specificity of GBL. Treatment of suspensions of S. cricetus AHT with trypsin before and after aggregation with high-molecular-weight glucan revealed a substantial level of protection of GBL when in a bound state. Collectively, these results indicated that GBL has an absolute affinity for glucans rich in alpha-1,6 linkages and possesses an active site which recognizes internal sequences and accommodates isomaltosaccharides of at least nine residues. This unusual specificity may contribute to the colonization of S. cricetus, S. sobrinus, and S. mutans in glucan-containing plaque in the oral cavity.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Specificity of the glucan-binding lectin of Streptococcus cricetus
- Creators
- D Drake - University of LouisvilleK G Taylor - University of LouisvilleA S Bleiweis - University of LouisvilleR J Doyle - University of Louisville
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Infection and immunity, Vol.56(8), pp.1864-1872
- DOI
- 10.1128/iai.56.8.1864-1872.1988
- PMID
- 3397177
- PMCID
- PMC259494
- NLM abbreviation
- Infect Immun
- ISSN
- 0019-9567
- eISSN
- 1098-5522
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/1988
- Academic Unit
- Endodontics; Dental Research
- Record Identifier
- 9984367626902771
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