Evolution of Amylase-Binding Proteins of Oral Streptococcal Species. Streptococcus

Commensal streptococcal species in the oral cavity adhere to the salivary pellicle coating tooth surfaces by various means. Several streptococcal species utilize amylase-binding proteins to attach to α-amylase, the most predominant protein in saliva. A screen of the supernatants of 76 strains representing 13 streptococcal species detected several ABPs based on an in vitro amylase-ligand binding assay and N-terminal protein sequencing. To rapidly determine the genetic sequence associated with each of these proteins, the genomes of eighteen strains representing these streptococcal species have been sequenced (DNA-Seq), assembled, and annotated. The goal of this study is to determine the evolution of ABPs through phylogenetic analysis of these sequences.