Monoclonal antibody to Streptococcus mutans type e cell wall polysaccharide antigen.

A monoclonal antibody against the polysaccharide antigen of Streptococcus mutans serotype e was prepared. It was found that beta-methyl-D-glucopyranoside and cellobiose markedly inhibited the precipitin reaction, whereas maltose showed no inhibition. The beta-glucosyl moiety of the type e polysaccharide seems to be the predominant antigenic determinant of the antigen.