Abstract
Murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were raised against the glucosyltransferases (GTFs) of Streptococcus sobrinus 6715. The antibody panels included MAbs raised against the primer-independent, soluble product enzyme (GTF-Si) which did not cross-react with other GTFs, as well as MAbs raised against the primer-dependent, soluble product enzyme (GTF-Sd) which recognized both GTF-Si and GTF-Sd, thus indicating that these catalytically distinct enzymes share epitopes. MAbs raised against GTF-I recognized several forms of GTF-I and did not cross-react with the GTF-S enzymes. None of the MAbs recognized the major glucan-binding protein of S. sobrinus. Two MAbs inhibited glucan synthesis, one blocking primer synthesis by GTF-Si by 89% and the second inhibiting that by GTF-I by 92%.