TABLE 5.

Effect of decoating of quintuple-mutant spores on their Ca²⁺–DPA-triggered germination^a

Spore treatment and germination medium	Titer (CFU/ml/OD600 unit)b
No treatment
Water	2.1 × 105
Ca2+–DPA	5.7 × 107
Decoating
Water	2.8 × 105
Ca2+–DPA	2.7 × 105

^aDecoated or untreated spores of strain FB85 were heat activated, incubated in water or 60 mM Ca²⁺–DPA for 1 h at room temperature, plated on LB agar, and incubated overnight at 37°C prior to colony counting. Eliminating the heat activation step did not alter the results. 

^bThe titers represent the means of two different experiments, and the values in these two experiments were within 40% of each other. Similar values were also obtained using two different preparations of spores.