Whole cell agglutination and dextran binding in oral Actinomyces species

Abstract

Dextran‐induced agglutinability was studied with whole cells of 36 strains of oral Actinomyces species, including Actinomyces viscosus, Actinomyces naeslundii, Actinomyces israelii, and Rothia dentocariosa. Cells of seven A. viscosus strains of rodent origin were agglutinated upon addition of dextran T2000 (mean molecular weight, 2 × 106) and bound more [14C]‐dextran, which was synthesized by Leuconostoc mesenteroides dextransucrase from [14C]‐sucrose, than cells of A. viscosus of human origin.