title: Synergistic degradation of bovine serum albumin by mutans streptococci and other dental plaque bacteria.
abstract: Mutans streptococci (Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus) exhibited low levels of proteolytic activity against the model protein substrate, FITC-labelled bovine serum albumin, when incubated alone. Inclusion of other members of the dental plaque microflora in the assay usually resulted in marked increases in the degree of proteolysis and a high level of synergy. Interactions between mutans streptococci and either Streptococcus oralis or Fusobacterium nucleatum gave rise to the greatest degree of synergistic proteolytic degradation.
authors.affiliation: Hunterian Dental Research Unit, London Hospital Medical College, Whitechapel, U.K.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Homer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beighton
mesh_terms: D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D016967:Fusobacterium nucleatum / Q000378:metabolism; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000378:metabolism*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000378:metabolism; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000378:metabolism*; D016986:Streptococcus sobrinus / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C039217:fluorescein isothiocyanate bovine serum albumin; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate