Effect of sugar analogues on growth, sugar utilization, and acid production by Streptococcus mutans.

Studies on the effect of various structural analogues of glucose of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)-dependent sugar transport in Streptococcus mutans showed that sugars with alterations at carbon 2 were markedly inhibitory. Low concentrations of the nonfermentable analogue D-2-deoxyglucose (2-deoxyg) blocked the growth of S mutans in broth media containing various fermentable sugars. Acid production by S mutans from both exogenous glucose and intracellular storage polysaccharide was inhibited by 2-deoxyG. The analogue is bacteriostatic, and large quantities of intracellular 2-deoxyG-6-PO4 accumulate during exposure of S mutans to the sugar.