Uptake and retention of tin by S. mutans.
The uptake of tin by S. mutans from stannous fluoride or stannous chloride solutions was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The uptake occurred rapidly, and the microorganism was shown to have a greater capacity and higher affinity to uptake of tin than of other metal ions tested. In 10 mM solutions, bound tin amounted to 17.5 per cent of the cellular dry mass. The tin uptake was independent of cell metabolism. The cell bound tin could not be washed out with water or saline, but 84 per cent was removed by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid solutions. When pH was lowered by low 2, increasing loss of bound  tin occurred. It is suggested that the binding occurs to polyanionic structural polymers in the cell wall and the cell capsule.
D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000378:metabolism*; D014001:Tin / Q000378:metabolism*
D002413:Cations, Divalent; D008670:Metals; D014001:Tin