NITROGENOUS COMPOUNDS IN GERMINATION AND POSTGERMINATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF BACILLUS MEGATERIUM SPORES

Abstract

Levinson, Hillel S. (Quartermaster Research and Engineering Center, Natick, Mass.) and Mildred T. Hyatt . Nitrogenous compounds in germination and postgerminative development of Bacillus megaterium spores. J. Bacteriol. 83: 1224–1230. 1962.—Of the 48 inorganic and organic nitrogenous compounds tested, only l -alanine, glucosamine, and N -acetylglucosamine promote germination of unheated spores of Bacillus megaterium . Heated spores also germinate in nitrate, nitrite, l -cysteine, dl -isoleucine, l -leucine, dl -methionine, dl -norleucine, l -proline and l -valine. A source of nitrogen is required for postgerminative development, but nitrogenous compounds which effect germination do not necessarily support postgerminative development. Nitrogenous compounds which support postgerminative development include (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , nitrates, d -alanine, l -alanine, l -arginine, l -asparagine, l -aspartic and l -glutamic acids, glutamine, l -proline, adenine, adenosine, and guanosine. Oxygen consumption rates during postgerminative development are different with different nitrogen sources, and these rates, in general, reflect the extent of postgerminative development. Utilization of amino and ammonium nitrogen during postgerminative development was followed, and the concentration requirements were determined (ca 10 m m for at least one cell division of 5 × 10 8 spores). Inhibitor studies on postgerminative development are included.