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Journal of Bacteriology, March 2009, p. 1787-1797, Vol. 191, No. 6
0021-9193/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.01668-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Isolation and Characterization of Superdormant Spores of Bacillus Species{triangledown}

Sonali Ghosh and Peter Setlow*

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

Received 26 November 2008/ Accepted 31 December 2008

Superdormant spores of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus megaterium were isolated in 4 to 12% yields following germination with high nutrient levels that activated one or two germinant receptors. These superdormant spores did not germinate with the initial nutrients or those that stimulated other germinant receptors, and the superdormant spores' defect was not genetic. The superdormant spores did, however, germinate with Ca2+-dipicolinic acid or dodecylamine. Although these superdormant spores did not germinate with high levels of nutrients that activated one or two nutrient germinant receptors, they germinated with nutrient mixtures that activated more receptors, and using high levels of nutrient mixtures activating more germinant receptors decreased superdormant spore yields. The use of moderate nutrient levels to isolate superdormant spores increased their yields; the resultant spores germinated poorly with the initial moderate nutrient concentrations, but they germinated well with high nutrient concentrations. These findings suggest that the levels of superdormant spores in populations depend on the germination conditions used, with fewer superdormant spores isolated when better germination conditions are used. These findings further suggest that superdormant spores require an increased signal for triggering spore germination compared to most spores in populations. One factor determining whether a spore is superdormant is its level of germinant receptors, since spore populations with higher levels of germinant receptors yielded lower levels of superdormant spores. A second important factor may be heat activation of spore populations, since yields of superdormant spores from non-heat-activated spore populations were higher than those from optimally activated spores.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030-3305. Phone: (860) 679-2607. Fax: (860) 679-3408. E-mail: setlow{at}nso2.uchc.edu

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 9 January 2009.

Journal of Bacteriology, March 2009, p. 1787-1797, Vol. 191, No. 6
0021-9193/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.01668-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Ghosh, S., Zhang, P., Li, Y.-q., Setlow, P. (2009). Superdormant Spores of Bacillus Species Have Elevated Wet-Heat Resistance and Temperature Requirements for Heat Activation. J. Bacteriol. 191: 5584-5591 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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