FIG. 1.

Germination of superdormant and initial spore preparations from various strains isolated using high levels of nutrients that target one or two germinant receptors. Superdormant spores of B. subtilis strain PS533 (wild type) (A and B), B. megaterium (C), and B. subtilis strains FB87 (ΔgerB ΔgerK) and FB22 (ΔgerA gerBA*) (D and E, respectively) were isolated by germination with valine (A and D), AGFK (B), glucose (C), or asparagine-glucose (E), as described in Materials and Methods. These spores were then germinated, spore germination was monitored by following the OD₆₀₀ of the culture, and the extent of spore germination at the end of the experiment was determined as described in Materials and Methods. Closed symbols indicate the initial spores used; open symbols represent the isolated superdormant spores. (A) Circles, germination with alanine; triangles, germination with valine; and squares, germination with AGFK. (B) Circles, germination with AGFK; triangles, germination with valine; and squares, germination with alanine. (C) Circles, germination with glucose; triangles, germination with KBr; and squares, germination with proline. (D) Circles, germination with valine. (E) Circles, germination with asparagine-glucose; triangles, germination with alanine-glucose. The appropriate percentages of germinated spores in the various germinations were as follows. (A) Open symbols, <5%; •, 90%; ▴ and ▪, 80%. (B) Open symbols, <10%; closed symbols, 80 to 90%. (C) Open symbols, 10%; closed symbols, >90%. (D) ○, 10%; •, 80%. (E) ○ and ▵, <5%; • and ▴, 85%.