title: Presence of an extracellular glycosyltransferase in human dental plaque.
abstract: 1. Glycosyltransferase activity incorporating 14C-radioactivity from [14C]sucrose into endogenous acceptor was demonstrated in human dental plaque. 2. The enzyme was localized in dental plaque into two forms: (a) associated form to bacteria (pellet 10,000 g) and (b) released as an extracellular form (supernatant 10,000 g). 3. The reaction product was insoluble in 95% ethanol, soluble in trichloroacetic acid, and it was a mixture of saccharides with different sizes, as was demonstrated by column chromatography. 4. Exogenous activity with Dextran T-10 as substrate was also demonstrated, and it represented 9% of the total endogenous activity. 5. Characterization of the extracellular glycosyltransferase, and comparative results with glycosyltransferase secreted by oral bacteria in cultures medium are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Trombosis Experimental, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Caracas, Venezuela.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ugarte
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology; D002648:Child; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000201:enzymology*; D003911:Dextrans / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000201:enzymology; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D012995:Solubility; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism; D014238:Trichloroacetic Acid
chemical_list: D003911:Dextrans; D000431:Ethanol; D013395:Sucrose; D014238:Trichloroacetic Acid; D005964:Glucosyltransferases