Rapid Identification of Mutans Streptococcal Species

• Published in: MICROBIOLOGY and IMMUNOLOGY Vol. 40; no. 11; pp. 867 - 871
• Main Authors: Igarashi, Takeshi, Yamamoto, Ayako, Goto, Nobuichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-01-1996; Center For Academic Publications Japan; Center for Academic Publications Japan
• Subjects: Bacterial Typing Techniques; Bacteriological methods and techniques used in bacteriology; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Dextranase; Dextranase - analysis; Dextranase - genetics; dextranase, identification; DNA Primers; DNA, Bacterial - analysis; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes, Bacterial; Identification; Microbiology; Mutans streptococci; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Streptococcus; Streptococcus - classification; Streptococcus - enzymology; Streptococcus - genetics; Streptococcus - isolation & purification; Streptococcus mutans; Streptococcus mutans - classification; Streptococcus mutans - enzymology; Streptococcus mutans - genetics; Streptococcus mutans - isolation & purification; Molecular hybridization; Enzyme; Dextranase; Gel electrophoresis; Identification; Method; Streptococcus mutans; Polymerase chain reaction; Streptococcaceae; Glycosidases; DNA; Bacteria; Hydrolases; Micrococcales; O-Glycosidases
• ISSN: 0385-5600; 1348-0421
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1996.tb01152.x

Mutans streptococci are considered the predominant pathogens in dental caries. Three methods, i.e. dot blot hybridization analysis, PCR analysis and SDS-blue dextran-PAGE, were examined for identifying mutans streptococcal species. In dot blot hybridization, DNA probe derived from the dextranase gene (dexA) of Streptococcus mutans hybridized with different intensities under the condition of low stringency against each species of mutans streptococci although the dexA probe was specific for S. mutans under the condition of high stringency. Oligonucleotide primers for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were designed on the basis of the dexA DNA sequence. The primers amplified species-specific PCR products in the referencespecies (15 strains of 5 species) of mutans streptococci. An electrophoretic profile of dextranases from the mutans streptococci on SDS-blue dextran-PAGE also showed species-specific behavior. These results suggest that the three identification methods examined here are useful for distinguishing the species of mutans streptococci and also indicate that PCR analysis is suitable for simple, rapid and reliable identification of mutans streptococcal species.