[Study on exopolysaccharides produced by planktonic and attached Streptococcus sobrinus].
OBJECTIVE
To elucidate the amount of exopolysaccharides produced by Streptococcus sobrinus when cultivated at different conditions.


METHODS
S. sobrinus was grown in TS broth and was allowed to attach to the cover glass surface to form bioflims. The anthrone method was applied to measure the amounts of soluble and insoluble exopolysaccharides produced by attached S. sobrinus and planktonic ones when cultivated at different time and in different concentrations of sucrose. The data were analyzed using SPSS 10.0 software package, Dunnett's t test was used to compare the difference between the two groups.


RESULTS
Attached bacteria synthesized more insoluble polysaccharide than planktonic ones at every sucrose concentration (P<0.05), but almost the same production of soluble polysaccharide (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The ability of S. sobrinus to synthesize insoluble polysaccharide was enhanced in the adherent phase, which may clarify why bacteria in biofilms are highly cariogenic.
Jiang
Dan
D
Department of Endodontics, West China College of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
Ning
Mei-Zhi
MZ
Ge
Jian-Ping
JP
Pu
Xiao-Fen
XF
Zhou
Xue-Dong
XD
Hu
Tao
T
D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D018441:Biofilms; D002326:Cariogenic Agents; D010933:Plankton; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D016986:Streptococcus sobrinus
D002326:Cariogenic Agents; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C098632:exopolysaccharide, Streptococcus