Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1984 Apr;47(4):768–774. doi: 10.1128/aem.47.4.768-774.1984

Heat-induced temperature sensitivity of outgrowing Bacillus cereus spores.

K M Johnson, F F Busta
PMCID: PMC239763  PMID: 6426390

Abstract

Inactivation of Bacillus cereus spores during cooling (10 degrees C/h) from 90 degrees C occurred in two phases. One phase occurred during cooling from 90 to 80 degrees C; the second occurred during cooling from 46 to 38 degrees C. In contrast, no inactivation occurred when spores were cooled from a maximum temperature of 80 degrees C. Inactivation of spores at a constant temperature of 45 degrees C was induced by initial heat treatments from 80 to 90 degrees C. The higher temperatures accelerated the rate of inactivation. Germination of spores was required for 45 degrees C inactivation to occur; however, faster germination was not the cause of accelerated inactivation of spores receiving higher initial heat treatments. Repair of possible injury was not observed in Trypticase soy broth (BBL Microbiology Systems), peptone, beef extract, starch, or L-alanine at 30 or 35 degrees C. Microscopic evaluation of spores outgrowing at 45 degrees C revealed that when inactivation occurred, outgrowth halted at the swelling stage. Inhibition of protein synthesis by chloramphenicol at the optimum temperature also stopped outgrowth at swelling; thus protein synthesis may play a role in the 45 degree C inactivation mechanism.

Full text

PDF
768

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Albertini A. M., Baldi M. L., Ferrari E., Isnenghi E., Zambelli M. T., Galizzi A. Mutants of Bacillus subtilis affected in spore outgrowth. J Gen Microbiol. 1979 Feb;110(2):351–363. doi: 10.1099/00221287-110-2-351. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Galizzi A., Gorrini F., Rollier A., Polsinelli M. Mutants of Bacillus subtilis temperature sensitive in the outgrowth phase of spore germination. J Bacteriol. 1973 Mar;113(3):1482–1490. doi: 10.1128/jb.113.3.1482-1490.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Garrick-Silversmith L., Torriani A. Macromolecular syntheses during germination and outgrowth of Bacillus subtilis spores. J Bacteriol. 1973 May;114(2):507–516. doi: 10.1128/jb.114.2.507-516.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Ginsberg D., Keynan A. Independence of Bacillus subtilis spore outgrowth from DNA synthesis. J Bacteriol. 1978 Oct;136(1):111–116. doi: 10.1128/jb.136.1.111-116.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Gottfried M., Orrego C., Keynan A., Halvorson H. O. Specific inhibition of outgrowth of Bacillus subtilis spores by novobiocin. J Bacteriol. 1979 May;138(2):314–319. doi: 10.1128/jb.138.2.314-319.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gurney T. R., Quesnel L. B. Thermal activation and dry-heat inactivation of spores of Bacillus subtilis MD2 and Bacillus subtilis var. niger. J Appl Bacteriol. 1980 Apr;48(2):231–247. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1980.tb01222.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hecker M. Einfluss von Nalidixinsäure auf die Aktivierung der RNA-Synthesen auswachsender Sporen von Bacillus subtilis. Z Allg Mikrobiol. 1982;22(8):529–534. doi: 10.1002/jobm.3630220804. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Mossel D. A., Koopman M. J., Jongerius E. Enumeration of Bacillus cereus in foods. Appl Microbiol. 1967 May;15(3):650–653. doi: 10.1128/am.15.3.650-653.1967. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Parry J. M., Gilbert R. J. Studies on the heat resistance of Bacillus cereus spores and growth of the organism in boiled rice. J Hyg (Lond) 1980 Feb;84(1):77–82. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400026541. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Setlow B., Setlow P. Localization of low-molecular-weight basic proteins in Bacillus megaterium spores by cross-linking with ultraviolet light. J Bacteriol. 1979 Aug;139(2):486–494. doi: 10.1128/jb.139.2.486-494.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Setlow P. Protein metabolism during germination of Bacillus megaterium spores. II. Degradation of pre-existing and newly synthesized protein. J Biol Chem. 1975 Jan 25;250(2):631–637. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Setlow P. Purification and properties of some unique low molecular weight basic proteins degraded during germination of Bacillus megaterium spores. J Biol Chem. 1975 Oct 25;250(20):8168–8173. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Srivastava O. P., Fitz-James P. C. Alteration by heat activation of enzymes localized in spore coats of Bacillus cereus. Can J Microbiol. 1981 Apr;27(4):408–416. doi: 10.1139/m81-062. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES