SALIVARY PROTEIN INTERACTIONS WITH ORAL BACTERIA - AN ELECTROPHORETICSTUDY

The relatively low levels of human salivary proteins in whole saliva a s compared to the ductal secretions may be related to their interactio n with oral bacteria. These interactions are thought to play an import ant role in the microbial colonisation of the mouth, and salivary prot eins adsorbed to oral surfaces have been implicated in adherence. In t his study we attempted to investigate the prevalence of interactive st rains by screening a range of oral bacteria. Parotid saliva was incuba ted with bacterial suspensions and consequent alterations to the saliv ary protein profile determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamid e gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). A number of salivary components were found to be preferentially removed, particularly by those species kno wn to be primary colonisers of clean tooth surfaces.