Oral care product comprising a mutan binding domain

Abstract

Disclosed is a polypeptide hybrid containing an amino acid sequence with binding affinity for mutan, the amino acid sequence being bound to an active component useful for oral care purposes; an oral care composition comprising a mutan binding domain; an oral care product comprising such an oral care composition of the invention; and finally the use of a mutan binding polypeptide hybrid or a single unit MBD for oral care purposes, including preventing dental plaque formation and/or removal of existing dental plaque.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A polypeptide hybrid comprising an amino acid sequence with binding affinity for mutan, said amino acid sequence being bound to an active component useful for oral care purposes.  
     
     
         2 . The polypeptide hybrid of  claim 1 , wherein the active component is an anti-plaque, anti-stain or anti-microbial agent.  
     
     
         3 . The polypeptide hybrid of  claim 1 , wherein the active component is an enzyme selected from the group consisting of oxidases, peroxidases, proteases, lipases, glucosidases, lipases, esterases, deaminases, ureases and polysaccharide hydrolases.  
     
     
         4 . The polypeptide hybrid of  claim 3 , which polypeptide is bound to an enzyme with glycosidase activity.  
     
     
         5 . An oral care composition comprising a mutan binding domain (MBD) hybrid or single unit MBD and further ingredients conventionally used in oral care compositions.  
     
     
         6 . The oral care composition of  claim 5 , wherein the MBD hybrid is a polypeptide hybrid according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         7 . An oral care product comprising an oral care composition of  claim 5 .  
     
     
         8 . The oral care product of  claim 7 , being a dentifrice.  
     
     
         9 . A hybrid comprising: 
 (a) an amino acid sequence which has binding affinity for mutan and which lacks a functional catalytic domain of a mutanase, linked to    (b) an enzyme selected from the group consisting of deaminases, esterases, glucosidases, lipases, oxidases, peroxidases, polysaccharide hydrolases, proteases, and ureases.    
     
     
         10 . The hybrid of  claim 9 , wherein the enzyme is a glycosidase.  
     
     
         11 . An oral care composition comprising (a) a hybrid of  claim 9  or a single unit mutan binding domain and (b) further ingredients conventionally used in oral care compositions.  
     
     
         12 . An oral care product comprising an oral care composition of  claim 11 .  
     
     
         13 . The oral care product of  claim 12 , which is a dentifrice.