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. 1974 Feb;9(2):273–278. doi: 10.1128/iai.9.2.273-278.1974

Antibody-Mediated Inhibition of Dextran/Sucrose-Induced Agglutination of Streptococcus mutans

Gerald A Olson 1,2, Bernard Guggenheim 1,2, Parker A Small Jr 1,2
PMCID: PMC414798  PMID: 4205944

Abstract

Immune sera to strains of Streptococcus mutans were found to inhibit agglutination of bacterial suspensions to which either high-molecular-weight dextran or sucrose was added. This inhibitory activity was shown to be mediated by antibody of the immunoglobulin G class. A semiquantitative assay was developed which demonstrated cross-inhibition of dextran/sucrose-induced agglutination among several strains of S. mutans. Antiserum to a partially purified glucosyltransferase was found to lack agglutination inhibition activity, consistent with the hypothesis that the dextran-binding antigen detected by the assay is immunologically distinct from the glucan-synthetic enzyme. A model for glucan synthesis and binding consistent with the reported data is described.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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