title: Chemical composition of Streptococcus mutans type c antigen: comparison to type a, b, and d antigens.
abstract: Studies of the serotype a, b, and d antigens of S mutans were extended to include the serotype c antigen. Type c antigen was extracted from cells of strain Ingbritt and purified by repeated column chromatography. Two type c antigens fractions were separated by chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex and were designated I and II. On agar gel diffusion, the major components of antigens I and II were serologically identical with the major component of the crude Ingbritt extract. Rhamnose and glucose were present in a 2.4:1 ratio and comprised 98 and 93% of the purified antigens, respectively. The compositions of the c antigens were directly related to the carbohydrate content of the serotype c cell wall. In contrast, purified a, b-II, and d antigens, which are also cell wall polysaccharides contain only trace amounts of rhamnose, a major wall carbohydrate. Studies which used comparative immunoelectrophoresis demonstrated that the purified a, b-I, and d antigens were serologically identical to the antigen preparations that have been used for the immunological classification of these serotypes.
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000276:immunology*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D002241:Carbohydrates; D000939:Epitopes; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial