Glucansucrase
Encyclopedia
Glucansucrase is an enzyme used by bacteria in human mouths such as Streptococcus mutans
and Lactobacillus reuteri
to produce long sticky biofilm
chains to stick to teeth and cause tooth decay. However, the former is considered a worst offender and the latter an indicator of healthy mouth flora. The enzyme both splits sucrose
into glucose
and fructose
as well as building the glucose
chain. There is hope to make dental caries a thing of the past by knocking out this enzyme.
Glucansucrase is a specific type of glycosyltransferase
that utilizes sucrose as a substrate to synthesize extracellular homopolysaccharide
.
Streptococcus mutans
Streptococcus mutans is a facultatively aerobic, Gram-positive coccus-shaped bacterium commonly found in the human oral cavity and is a significant contributor to tooth decay.The microbe was first described by J Kilian Clarke in 1924.-Introduction:...
and Lactobacillus reuteri
Lactobacillus reuteri
Lactobacillus reuteri is a Gram-positive bacterium that naturally inhabits the gut of mammals and birds. First described in the early 1980s, some strains of L. reuteri are used as probiotics. BioGaia AB in Sweden owns several commercially important strains and a large number of different patents...
to produce long sticky biofilm
Biofilm
A biofilm is an aggregate of microorganisms in which cells adhere to each other on a surface. These adherent cells are frequently embedded within a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substance...
chains to stick to teeth and cause tooth decay. However, the former is considered a worst offender and the latter an indicator of healthy mouth flora. The enzyme both splits sucrose
Sucrose
Sucrose is the organic compound commonly known as table sugar and sometimes called saccharose. A white, odorless, crystalline powder with a sweet taste, it is best known for its role in human nutrition. The molecule is a disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose with the molecular formula...
into glucose
Glucose
Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...
and fructose
Fructose
Fructose, or fruit sugar, is a simple monosaccharide found in many plants. It is one of the three dietary monosaccharides, along with glucose and galactose, that are absorbed directly into the bloodstream during digestion. Fructose was discovered by French chemist Augustin-Pierre Dubrunfaut in 1847...
as well as building the glucose
Glucose
Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...
chain. There is hope to make dental caries a thing of the past by knocking out this enzyme.
Glucansucrase is a specific type of glycosyltransferase
Glycosyltransferase
Glycosyltransferases are enzymes that act as a catalyst for the transfer of a monosaccharide unit from an activated nucleotide sugar to a glycosyl acceptor molecule, usually an alcohol....
that utilizes sucrose as a substrate to synthesize extracellular homopolysaccharide
Homopolysaccharide
Homopolysaccharides are Polysaccharide composed of a single type of sugar monomer. For example, cellulose is an unbranched homopolysaccharaide made up of glucose monomers connected via beta-glycosidic linkages; glycogen is a branched form, where the glucose monomers are joined by alpha-glycosidic...
.