Our previous study has already clarified that partially decomposed alginate (Alg53) by Vibrio alginolyticus SUN53 has a competitive inhibitory effect on sucrase. The objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of Alg53 on the production of glucan from sucrose by glucosyltransferase and acid from glucose by Streptococcus sobrinus 6715. Glucosyltransferase was prepared from cultural medium of S. sobrinus using ultrafiltration and hydroxyapatite chromatography. In order to examine the inhibitory effect of Alg53 for production of glucan by GTase, partially purified GTase, sucrose and Alg53 solution were incubated at 37 degrees C. The influence of Alg53 on the production of acid from glucose was evaluated by a degree of pH decline during the incubation for 60 min. The original Alg53 solution markedly inhibited to 21% of the synthesis of water-insoluble glucan from sucrose and that of 10-fold diluted of Alg53 solution was 23%. However, the production of water-soluble glucan from sucrose by GTase was hardly affected by Alg53. Furthermore, Alg53 suppressed dose-dependently pH decline by organic acid converted from glucose. These results suggest that Alg53 is expected as a functional food material which prevents or reduces dental caries.
Keywords: Streptococcus sobrinus 6715; acid production; dental caries; glucan; partially decomposed alginate.