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Spore Pool Glutamic Acid as a Metabolite in Germination

¹ Biology Department, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas 77341

ABSTRACT

Spore glutamic acid pools were examined in dormant and germinating spores using colorimetric and ¹⁴C analytical procedures. Germination of spores of Bacillus megaterium (parent strain), initiated by D-glucose, was accompanied by a rapid drop in the level of spore pool glutamate, from 12.0 µg/mg of dry spores to 7.7 µg/mg of dry spores after 30 sec of germination. Similar decreases in extractable spore pool glutamate were observed with L-alanine-initiated germination of B. licheniformis spores. On the other hand, glutamate pools of mutant spores of B. megaterium, with a requirement of -aminobutyric acid for spore germination, remained unchanged for 9 min of germination, at which time more than 50% of the spore population had germinated. Evidence for conversion of spore pool glutamate to -aminobutyric acid during germination of spores of B. megaterium (parent strain) was obtained.