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From 2013.igem.org

How It Works: Another way to detect S. mutans in the mouth is to detect dextran through dextranase. Dextranase is an enzyme and surface protein that contains a binding domain for Dextran, a very complex, branched polymer of glucans. When Dextranase is on the surface of bacteria, it binds to Dextran and holds the polymer to the bacteria. By using dextranase, we may be able to keep E. Coli in close proximity to S. mutans, thereby effectively delivering destructive factors to S. mutans. Norspermidine is a compound that breaks down biofilm by directly interacting with the exopolysaccharides of S. mutans. Norspermidine does this by interacting with charged or polar groups in secondary structure of the exopolysaccharide. By destroying the biofilm in which the S. mutans grows through the action of NspC.

What We Did: We isolated Dex and Norspermidine. We tested the capacity of Norspermidine expressed in E. Coli to destroy S. mutans biofilm formation.

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