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J Bacteriol. 1968 November; 96(5): 1680-1689
Copyright © 1968 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Properties of Germinating Spores of Dictyostelium discoideum¹

Departments of Bacteriology and Botany, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706

ABSTRACT

The process of spore germination in Dictyostelium discoideum consists of three sequential stages: activation of dormant spores, swelling of activated spores, and emergence of myxamoebae from swollen spores. Dormant and activated spores are resistant to heating, freezing, or drying. Drying and freezing, moreover, may maintain the activated state until the spores are returned to normal conditions. Low temperature incubation after heat shock or the presence of an autoinhibitor will return activated spores to the dormant state. The entire spore germination process is aerobic, being inhibited at any point by oxygen deprivation or respiratory poisons. Each spore of this social organism appears to germinate at its own rate and independent of the other spores in the suspension.

² Present address: Pacific Biomedical Research Center, University of Hawaii, Honolulu 96822.

¹ Part of a thesis offered by the senior author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree, University of Wisconsin, Madison.

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