Adsorption by the Human and Bovine Enamel and Hydroxyapatite of a Bacteriolytic Enzyme Derived from Streptomyces globisporus

It has been reported that a bacteriolytic enzyme derived from Streptomyces globisporus strain 1829 (SG enzyme) possessed strong lytic action against the cariogenic bacteria and dental plaque. The pur pose of this study was to determine whether the adsorption and elution of the enzyme in powdered human and bovine enamel and hydroxyapatite could be detected. The bacteriolytic enzyme was successfully absorbed into the powdered enamel and hydroxyapatite in 0.005 M phosphate buffer, pH 6.8, and approximately 50% of the adsorbed enzyme was eluated in 0.1 M phosphate buffer, pH 6.8. Hydroxyapatite which had been pre-treated with salivary proteins absorbed the SG enzyme to the similar extent as hydroxyatite without pre-treatment. The salivary proteins and SG enzyme were simultaneously eluated from the hydroxyapatite in 0.1 M phosphate buffer, and a synergistic effect of the eluated salivary lysozyme and SG enzyme was observed. These phenomena suggested that the SG enzyme may play an effective role in dental plaque control in the oral cavity.