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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Purification of a High Molecular Mass Protein in Streptococcus mutans
Published on: September 14, 2019
Treatment of Streptococcus mutans with antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides to gtfB mRNA inhibits GtfB expression and
Qing-Yu Guo1, Gang Xiao, Rui Li
1Department of Oral Biology, College of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Abstract:
We examined the effects of phosphorothioate-modified antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides (PS-ODN) targeted to mRNA transcribed from gtfB, which encodes synthesis of water-insoluble glucans in Streptococcus mutans. Treatment of S. mutans with 10 muM antisense PS-ODNs inhibited gtfB mRNA transcription, GtfB expression and water-insoluble glucan synthesis. The architecture of biofilms formed by antisense PS-ODNs-treated S. mutans showed reduced biomass, more dispersed distribution with enlarged interspaces and fewer layers of attached cells. PS-ODN treatment had no effect on the growth of S. mutans. Our results indicated that it might be feasible to use antisense PS-ODN as a novel agent in caries prevention.
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