Abstract

Insoluble glucans synthesized by Streptococcus mutans enhance the pathogenicity of oral biofilm by promoting the adherence and accumulation of cariogenic bacteria on the surface of the tooth. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Leuconostoc spp. on the in vitro formation of S. mutans biofilm. Three strains, Leuconostoc gelidum ATCC 49366, Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. cremoris ATCC 19254 and Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. mesenteroides ATCC 8293, were used in this study. They exhibited profound inhibitory effects on the formation of S. mutans biofilm and on the proliferation of S. mutans. The water-soluble polymers produced from sucrose were most strongly produced by L. gelidum, followed by L. mesenteroides ssp. cremoris and L. mesenteroides ssp. mesenteroides. The mean wet weights of the artificial biofilm of S. mutans were also significantly reduced as a result of the addition of the water-soluble polymers obtained from Leuconostoc cultures. According to the results of thin-layer chromatographic analysis, the hydrolysates of the water-soluble polymers produced by Leuconostoc were identical to those of dextran T-2000, forming predominately α-(1-6) glucose linkages. These results indicate that dextran-producing Leuconostoc strains are able to inhibit the formation of S. mutans biofilm in vitro.

• Keywords: biofilm; dextran; Leuconostoc; Streptococcus mutans