Studies on the lytic enzyme from Streptococcus mutans V Prevalence of bacteria lytic against heated cells of Streptococcus sanguis ATCC 10558 in dental plaques of infants

Abstract

Bacteria lytic against heat-killed cells of Streptococcus (S.) sanguis ATCC 10558 were examined in dental plaques of 20 infants. Such bacteria were isolated from dental plaques taken from pits and fissures of the healthy deciduous molars opposed to carious molars of all subjects, but not from those on labial cervical surfaces of sound inciso rs opposed to sound incisors. Biological characterizations have shown that all of these lytic bacteria are S. mutans.