Polymerase chain reaction amplification, cloning, sequence determination and homologies of streptococcal...

The highly conserved portion of the catalytic subunit (beta-subunit) of the membrane-bound, proton-translocating ATPase from three strains of oral streptococci has been amplified via the polymerase chain reaction. Hybridization studies demonstrated the existence of homology between Escherichia coli and Bacillus megaterium beta-subunit probes at the streptococcal DNA level. Highly degenerate primers, based on the E. coli and B. megaterium amino acid (aa) sequences, were used to amplify the homologues in Streptococcus mutans, S. sanguis and S. sobrinus. The 600 bp fragment from S. sobrinus has been cloned and its nucleotide (nt) sequence determined. Comparison of its nt and deduced aa sequence to that of E. coli and B. megaterium reveals a high degree of homology at the aa level.