Detection of binding of denatured salivary alpha-amylase to Streptococcus sanguis.

Native alpha-amylase, either solubilized, or immobilized and tested with an overlay immunotechnique, was bound in a species-specific manner to Streptococcus mitis and to one of the Streptococcus gordonii strains. However, only insignificant amounts of alpha-amylase were bound to Streptococcus sanguis and all other strains tested. When alpha-amylase was denatured before immobilization, Streptococcus sanguis bound strongly to the protein while binding of other strains was insignificant.