Aldolase of Lactic Acid Bacteria: Immunological Relationships Among Aldolases of Streptococci and Gram-Positive Nonsporeforming Anaerobes

Abstract

Antiserum prepared against a Streptococcus faecalis fructose diphosphate aldolase (EC 4.1.2.13) was used to measure the extent of immunological homology between the reference enzyme and aldolases of various streptococci and gram-positive nonsporeforming anaerobic bacteria. The majority of streptococci surveyed were isolated from the oral cavity or blood samples. Strains within the species Streptococcus mutans Clarke and Streptococcus mitis (mitior) possessed aldolases that exhibited marked antigenic heterogeneity and thereby contrasted sharply with previously studied species of Streptococcus (London and Kline, 1973). Varying degrees of cross-reactivity were observed between the aldolases of certain species of Eubacterium, Butyribacterium, and Propionibacterium and the anti-streptococcal aldolase serum. Evidence is also presented confirming an earlier report by Neimark (1974) that aldolases of Acholeplasma species react with the anti-S. faecalis aldolase serum.