Common antigens of streptococcal and non-streptococcal oral bacteria: immunochemical studies of extracellular and cell-wall-associated antigens from Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus salivarius, and Actinomyces viscosus.

Soluble extracellular antigens (ESA) were prepared from the culture supernatant of exponential growing cells of Streptococcus sanguis OMZ 9 by a combination of ammonium sulfate precipitation and chromatography on a Bio-Gel P6 column. Soluble cell wall antigens (WEA) were obtained from the bacterial pellet by extraction with 1 M phosphate buffer (pH 6). Antisera against whole cells of S. sanguis and S. mutans of different serotypes, 10% trichloroacetic extracts of bacterial cell walls, dextran, ESA, and WEA were prepared by injecting the different antigens several times in rabbits. ESA and WEA were prepared from a representative strain of Bratthall's seven serological groups, Lactobacillus salivarius, and Actinomyces viscosus. All sera showed various agglutinin titers against heat-killed cells, and titers were generally higher with homologous cells. The comparison of the different antigens using agar gel diffusion and immunoelectrophoresis showed the presence of extracellular common antigens in both ESA and WEA between the different strains. Absorption of anti-ESA sera with WEA, and anti-WEA sera with ESA, showed the existence of a specific antigen common to all bacteria in each fraction. Enzymatic treatment of the antigen before immunodiffusion demonstrated the protein nature of the two antigens present in ESA and WEA.