Production of the lantibiotic salivaricin A and its variants by oral streptococci and use of a specific induction assay to detect their presence in human saliva

A highly specific Salivaricin A (SalA) induction system is used to directly detect the presence of SalA in the saliva of humans who either harbor populations of SalA-producing Streptococcus Salivarius or who have been colonized with the SalA2-producing probiotic S. Salivarius K12. Four additional variants SalA2 to Sal A5 are identified.