Abstract
Dry spores of Streptomyces viridochromogenes exhibited no endogenous metabolism when tested by the sensitive radiorespirometric technique. Wetting the spores resulted in a sharp increase in endogenous respiration followed by a gradual decrease to a constant level, whereby 0.02% of the spore carbon was respired to CO2 per h. The rate of endogenous metabolism increased slowly as unactivated and heat-activated spores germinated in a defined germination medium, reaching rapid rates only after germination was completed. Components of the defined germination medium, adenosine, l-alanine, and l-glutamic acid, were oxidized to CO2 at appreciable rates only after germination was complete. The QO2 (microliters of O2 uptake per hour per milligram [dry weight] of spores) values for endogenously respiring spores were 3.9 for unactivated and 7.8 for activated spores. Various sugars, amino acids, and organic acids were oxidized only slowly or not at all by unactivated and activated spores. The dry spores contained 5.2 × 10−2 μmol of ATP per g (dry weight). The ATP content of spores increased approximately 4-fold after suspension in buffer and approximately 11-fold after heat activation. During germination, the ATP level increased to a level of 1 μmol of ATP per g (dry weight) and remained constant. Germination was accompanied by excretion from the spores of approximately 8 and 12% of the total spore carbon from unactivated and activated spores, respectively. A potent germination inhibitor was released from the germinated spores. The germination inhibitor had no effect on heat-activated spores or spores which had begun germination for as short a time as 5 min.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Demain A. L. How do antibiotic-producing microorganisms avoid suicide? Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1974 May 10;235(0):601–612. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1974.tb43294.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ensign J. C. Long-term starvation survival of rod and spherical cells of Arthrobacter crystallopoietes. J Bacteriol. 1970 Sep;103(3):569–577. doi: 10.1128/jb.103.3.569-577.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- FEY G., GOULD G. W., HITCHINS A. D. IDENTIFICATION OF D-ALANINE AS THE AUTO-INHIBITOR OF GERMINATION OF BACILLUS GLOBIGII SPORES. J Gen Microbiol. 1964 May;35:229–236. doi: 10.1099/00221287-35-2-229. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hey-Ferguson A., Mitchell M., Elbein A. D. Trehalose metabolism in germinating spores of Streptomyces hygroscopicus. J Bacteriol. 1973 Nov;116(2):1084–1085. doi: 10.1128/jb.116.2.1084-1085.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hirsch C. F., Ensign J. C. Heat activation of Streptomyces viridochromogenes spores. J Bacteriol. 1976 Apr;126(1):24–30. doi: 10.1128/jb.126.1.24-30.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hirsch C. F., Ensign J. C. Nutritionally defined conditions for germination of Streptomyces viridochromogenes spores. J Bacteriol. 1976 Apr;126(1):13–23. doi: 10.1128/jb.126.1.13-23.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kalakoutskii L. V., Agre N. S. Comparative aspects of development and differentiation in actinomycetes. Bacteriol Rev. 1976 Jun;40(2):469–524. doi: 10.1128/br.40.2.469-524.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kalakutskii L. V., Duzha M. I. Fermentativnaia ktivnost' intaktnykh konidii aktinomitsetov. Mikrobiologiia. 1967 Mar-Apr;36(2):279–283. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Nelson D. L., Kornberg A. Biochemical studies of bacterial sporulation and germination. XX. Phosphate metabolism during germination. J Biol Chem. 1970 Mar 10;245(5):1146–1155. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- STEWART B. T., HALVORSON H. O. Studies on the spores of aerobic bacteria. I. The occurrence of alanine racemase. J Bacteriol. 1953 Feb;65(2):160–166. doi: 10.1128/jb.65.2.160-166.1953. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wildermuth H. Development and organization of the aerial mycelium in Streptomyces coelicolor. J Gen Microbiol. 1970 Jan;60(1):43–50. doi: 10.1099/00221287-60-1-43. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]