In vitro inhibition of adherence of Streptococcus mutans strains by nonadherent mutants of S. mutans 6715.

Four nonadherent mutants from Streptococcus mutans 6715 mutant UAB66 (serotype g) with similar phenotypes were shown to inhibit the adherence of adherence-proficient S. mutans serotypes c and g strains. One mutant, UAB108, was shown to inhibit adherence by wild-type strains representing serotypes a, d, and e as well. This inhibition of adherence was seen with pairs of strains grown in partially defined (PD) medium supplemented with 1% sucrose in both microtiter plates and glass tubes. The inhibiting factor was present in culture supernatant fluids of inhibiting strains grown in PD medium plus 1% sucrose and was heat stable. Ethanol precipitation of culture supernatant fluids of these strains yielded a water-soluble polymer which effectively inhibited the adherence of UAB66. This polymer, isolated from UAB108, was also shown to inhibit the adherence of UAB66 at lower concentrations than that needed to inhibit adherence with dextran T10. Partially purified glucosyltransferase, isolated from the culture supernatant fluids of glucose-grown UAB108, produced a water-soluble glucan which was shown to inhibit the adherence of UAB66 as well. The methods developed permit rapid screening for strains or mutants of strains or both that inhibit adherence or plaque formation or both by wild-type strains of S. mutans.