Skip to main content
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1974 Oct;120(1):475–481. doi: 10.1128/jb.120.1.475-481.1974

Ultrastructural Analysis During Germination and Outgrowth of Bacillus subtilis Spores

Leatrice Y Santo 1, Roy H Doi 1
PMCID: PMC245785  PMID: 4213660

Abstract

Electron microscopy of thin sections of dormant and germinating spores of Bacillus subtilis 168 revealed a progressive change in the structure of the cortex, outer spore coat, and inner spore coat. The initial changes were observed in the cortex region, which showed a loose fibrous network within 10 min of germination, and in the outer spore coat, which began to be sloughed off. The permeability of the complex outer spore layers was modified within 10 min, since, at this time, the internal structures of the spore coat were readily stainable. A nicking degradation action of the laminated inner spore coat began at 20 min, and this progressed for the next 20 min leading to the loosening of the inner spore coat. By 30 min, the outer spore coat showed signs of disintegration, and at 40 min, both the outer and inner spore coats were degraded extensively. At 30 to 40 min, a period just preceding net deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis, mesosomes became very prominent in the inner spore core and the cell wall began to thicken around the spore core. At 50 min, an emerging cell was observed, and by 60 min, there was clear evidence for elongation of the emerging cell and the presence of two nuclear bodies. At 90 min, elongation had been followed by the first cell division. There was evidence for spore coat fragments at the opposite poles of the dividing cell.

Full text

PDF
475

Images in this article

Selected References

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

  1. Bishop H. L., Doi R. H. Isolation and characterization of ribosomes from Bacillus subtilis spores. J Bacteriol. 1966 Feb;91(2):695–701. doi: 10.1128/jb.91.2.695-701.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Doi R. H., Brown L. R., Rodgers G., Hsu Y. Bacillus subtilis mutant altered in spore morphology and in RNA polymerase activity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1970 Jun;66(2):404–410. doi: 10.1073/pnas.66.2.404. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Halvorson H. O., Vary J. C., Steinberg W. Developmental changes during the formation and breaking of the dormant state in bacteria. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1966;20:169–188. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.20.100166.001125. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Hansen J. N., Spiegelman G., Halvorson H. O. Bacterial spore outgrowth: its regulation. Science. 1970 Jun 12;168(3937):1291–1298. doi: 10.1126/science.168.3937.1291. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hanson R. S., Peterson J. A., Yousten A. A. Unique biochemical events in bacterial sporulation. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1970;24:53–90. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.24.100170.000413. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hashimoo T., Conti S. F. Ultrastructural changes associated with activation and germination of Bacillus cereus T spores. J Bacteriol. 1971 Jan;105(1):361–368. doi: 10.1128/jb.105.1.361-368.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. KELLENBERGER E., RYTER A., SECHAUD J. Electron microscope study of DNA-containing plasms. II. Vegetative and mature phage DNA as compared with normal bacterial nucleoids in different physiological states. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1958 Nov 25;4(6):671–678. doi: 10.1083/jcb.4.6.671. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Korch C. T., Doi R. H. Electron microscopy of the altered spore morphology of a ribonucleic acid polymerase mutant of Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol. 1971 Mar;105(3):1110–1118. doi: 10.1128/jb.105.3.1110-1118.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Kornberg A., Spudich J. A., Nelson D. L., Deutscher M. P. Origin of proteins in sporulation. Annu Rev Biochem. 1968;37:51–78. doi: 10.1146/annurev.bi.37.070168.000411. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Leighton T. J., Doi R. H. The stability of messenger ribonucleic acid during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. J Biol Chem. 1971 May 25;246(10):3189–3195. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. OISHI M., YOSHIKAWA H., SUEOKA N. SYNCHRONOUS AND DICHOTOMOUS REPLICATIONS OF THE BACILLUS SUBTILIS CHROMOSOME DURING SPORE GERMINATION. Nature. 1964 Dec 12;204:1069–1073. doi: 10.1038/2041069a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. RYTER A. ETUDE MORPHOLOGIQUE DE LA SPORULATION DE BACILLUS SUBTILIS. Ann Inst Pasteur (Paris) 1965 Jan;108:40–60. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Ryter A., Hirota Y., Jacob F. DNA-membrane complex and nuclear segregation in bacteria. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. 1968;33:669–676. doi: 10.1101/sqb.1968.033.01.076. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. SACKS L. E., ALDERTON G. Behavior of bacterial spores in aqueous polymer two-phase systems. J Bacteriol. 1961 Sep;82:331–341. doi: 10.1128/jb.82.3.331-341.1961. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Santo L. Y., Doi R. H. Crystal formation by a ribonucleic acid polymerase mutant of Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol. 1973 Oct;116(1):479–482. doi: 10.1128/jb.116.1.479-482.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Santo L., Leighton T. J., Doi R. H. Ultrastructural studies of sporulation in a conditionally temperature-sensitive ribonucleic acid polymerase mutant of Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol. 1973 Aug;115(2):703–706. doi: 10.1128/jb.115.2.703-706.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Schaeffer P. Sporulation and the production of antibiotics, exoenzymes, and exotonins. Bacteriol Rev. 1969 Mar;33(1):48–71. doi: 10.1128/br.33.1.48-71.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Sonenshein A. L., Losick R. RNA polymerase mutants blocked in sporulation. Nature. 1970 Aug 29;227(5261):906–909. doi: 10.1038/227906a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Walker P. D. Symposium on bacterial spores: I. Cytology of spore formation and germination. J Appl Bacteriol. 1970 Mar;33(1):1–12. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1970.tb05229.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES