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Journal of Bacteriology, April 2006, p. 3153-3158, Vol. 188, No. 8
0021-9193/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.188.8.3153-3158.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Levels of Glycine Betaine in Growing Cells and Spores of Bacillus Species and Lack of Effect of Glycine Betaine on Dormant Spore Resistance

Department of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3305

Received 21 December 2005/ Accepted 7 February 2006

Bacteria of various Bacillus species are able to grow in media with very high osmotic strength in part due to the accumulation of low-molecular-weight osmolytes such as glycine betaine (GB). Cells of Bacillus species grown in rich and minimal media contained low levels of GB, but GB levels were 4- to 60-fold higher in cells grown in media with high salt. GB levels in Bacillus subtilis cells grown in minimal medium were increased 7-fold by GB in the medium and 60-fold by GB plus high salt. GB was present in spores of Bacillus species prepared in media with or without high salt but at lower levels than in comparable growing cells. With spores prepared in media with high salt, GB levels were highest in B. subtilis spores and 20-fold lower in B. cereus and B. megaterium spores. Athough GB levels in B. subtilis spores were elevated 15- to 30-fold by GB plus high salt in sporulation media, GB levels did not affect spore resistance. GB levels were similar in wild-type B. subtilis spores and spores that lacked major small, acid-soluble spore proteins but were much lower in spores that lacked dipicolinic acid.

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