ScienceAsia 22 (1996): 105-110 |doi: 10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.1996.22.105

SYNTHESIS OF OLIGOSACCHARIDES BY DEXTRAN SUCRASE FROM A LOCAL STRAIN OF STREPTOCOCCUS MUTANS

EM-ON BENJA VONGKULCHAI^a, RUDEE SURARIT^b,c, CHRISTOPHER BUCKE^d AND M. R. JISNUSON SVASTI^c,e

ABSTRACT: Dextransucrase was partially purified 100-fold from the growth media of a local strain of Streptococcus mutans TPF-1. Incubation of the enzyme with sucrose followed by analysis of products by high performance ion chromatography (HPIC) showed that the enzyme could synthesize oligosaccharides such as nigerose. The inhibitory effect of various sugars on the activity of dextransucrase has been studied, and the capabilities of these sugars to act as glucosyl acceptors were also tested by HPIC. The results showed that among twenty sugars tested, panpse, maltose and isomaltose were inhibitors of dextransucrase activity. These sugars were also good glucosyl acceptors whereas lactose, palatinose were poor acceptors and galactosucrose, melibiose, raffinose, stachyose, turanose and xylitol could not act as acceptors.

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a Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Henri Dunant St., Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
b Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University, Yothi St., Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
c Laboratory of Biochemistry, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Vibhavadee Rangsit Road, Bangkok 10210, Thailand.
d School of Biological and Health Science, Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish St., London W1M 8JS, U.K.
e Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.

Received April 30, 1996