Enzyme Reactions in Dental Plaque Matrix Modification of Velocity by the Presence of Polymers

Abstract

The study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of inert polymers on the reactions of extracellular plaque enzymes. It was demonstrated that several polymers, including dextran, caused a marked increase of the reaction rates of levan sucrase as well as levan hydrolase from Streptococcus salivarius and Strep. mutans, respectively. In the case of levan hydrolase it was furthermore observed that the relatively low diffusion rate of levan limited the collision frequency between enzyme and substrate, leading to an initially decreased reaction rate. This effect was dependent on the levan concentration, and it was enhanced by dextran. the findings are discussed in the light of known physico-chemical phenomena, and the implications for enzymes within the dental plaque matrix are noted.