Inhibition of Glucan Synthesis by Casein Polymers Crosslinked by Glutaraldehyde.

Glutaraldehyde-crosslinked α-casein polymers with molecular masses of 1-5×10(5) were found to inhibit adhesive insoluble glucan formation catalyzed by glucan synthases from Streptococcus sobrinus B13, a cariogenic oral bacterium. Of the three subcomponents of the glucan synthases tested, primer-dependent insoluble glucan synthase was inhibited specifically by the M r~2.7×10(5) polymer at a concentration of 1.4-8.5 μg/ml. The polymer was also active in inhibiting the artificial plaque formation by S. sobrinus B13.