DNA-DNA Hybridization Studies of Streptococcus mutans

Deoxyribonucleic acid reassociation experiments showed that Streptococcus mutans is a genetically heterogeneous species. The strains studied were classified into four groups. The genetic groups correlated with differences in electrophoretic patterns of cell proteins and morphologic differences. The genetic groups also correlated with antigenic groups proposed by others. </jats:p