Hydrolysis of some carbohydrate substrates by enzymes of pooled human dental plaque fluid.

The activity of enzymes releasing glucose and reducing sugars from sucrose, maltose, starch and dextran was compared in the same pooled samples of plaque fluid (PF) from 24 h human dental plaque. Equimolar amounts of glucose and fructose were released from sucrose in 3 h incubations. Reducing activity was released from sucrose or starch at a similar rate. The rate of glucose release from the starch substrate was similar to that from maltose but lower than that from sucrose. Raffinose was hydrolysed, indicating beta-fructosidase activity in PF. The hydrolysis of maltose, trehalose and melezitose confirmed the presence of alpha-glucosidase activity. Maltose was metabolized partially to a maltosaccharide. No dextranase activity was detectable in PF, and the soluble polymeric carbohydrate in PF was partially degraded by fungal dextranase. Starch was degraded to dextrins, maltose and glucose.