Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1972 Feb;109(2):550–559. doi: 10.1128/jb.109.2.550-559.1972

Germination of Heat- and Alkali-Altered Spores of Clostridium perfringens Type A by Lysozyme and an Initiation Protein

Charles L Duncan 1, Ronald G Labbe 1, Robert R Reich 1
PMCID: PMC285176  PMID: 4333607

Abstract

The normal system functioning in the utilization of metabolizable germinants by both heat-sensitive and heat-resistant spores of Clostridium perfringens was inactivated by heat or by treatment of the spores with alkali to remove a soluble coat protein layer. Altered spores were incapable of germination (less than 1%) and outgrowth (less than 0.0005%) in complex media without the addition of either lysozyme or an initiation protein produced by C. perfringens. The addition of either of these agents permitted, in the case of alkali-treated spores, both 90 to 95% germination and outgrowth, as measured by colony formation. In the case of heat-damaged spores, only 50% germination and 2% outgrowth resulted from addition of the initiation protein, whereas lysozyme permitted 85% germination and 8% outgrowth. Alteration of the spores by heat or alkali apparently inactivated the normal lytic system responsible for cortical degradation during germination. Kinetics of production of the initiation protein and conditions affecting both its activity and that of lysozyme on altered spores are described.

Full text

PDF
554

Selected References

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

  1. Cassier M., Sebald M. Germination lysozyme-dépendante des spores de Clostridium perfringens ATCC 3624 après traitement thermique. Ann Inst Pasteur (Paris) 1969 Sep;117(3):312–324. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Duncan C. L., Strong D. H. Improved medium for sporulation of Clostridium perfringens. Appl Microbiol. 1968 Jan;16(1):82–89. doi: 10.1128/am.16.1.82-89.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. GOULD G. W., HITCHINS A. D. SENSITIZATION OF BACTERIAL SPORES TO LYSOZYME AND TO HYDROGEN PEROXIDE WITH AGENTS WHICH RUPTURE DISULPHIDE BONDS. J Gen Microbiol. 1963 Dec;33:413–423. doi: 10.1099/00221287-33-3-413. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. GRULA E. A., HARTSELL S. E. Lysozyme and morphological alterations induced in Micrococcus lysodeikticus. J Bacteriol. 1954 Aug;68(2):171–177. doi: 10.1128/jb.68.2.171-177.1954. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Gould G. W., Hitchins A. D., King W. L. Function and location of a "germination enzyme" in spores of Bacillus cereus. J Gen Microbiol. 1966 Aug;44(2):293–502. doi: 10.1099/00221287-44-2-293. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gould G. W., Stubbs J. M., King W. L. Structure and composition of resistant layers in bacterial spore coats. J Gen Microbiol. 1970 Mar;60(3):347–355. doi: 10.1099/00221287-60-3-347. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Labbe R. G., Duncan C. L. Growth from spores of Clostridium perfringens in the presence of sodium nitrite. Appl Microbiol. 1970 Feb;19(2):353–359. doi: 10.1128/am.19.2.353-359.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. MARSHALL R. S., STEENBERGEN J. F., MCCLUNG L. S. RAPID TECHNIQUE FOR THE ENUMERATION OF CLOSTRIDIUM PERFINGENS. Appl Microbiol. 1965 Jul;13:559–563. doi: 10.1128/am.13.4.559-563.1965. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. POWELL J. F. Isolation of dipicolinic acid (pyridine-2:6-dicarboxylic acid) from spores of Bacillus megatherium. Biochem J. 1953 May;54(2):210–211. doi: 10.1042/bj0540210. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. STRANGE R. E., DARK F. A. A cell-wall lytic enzyme associated with spores of Bacillus species. J Gen Microbiol. 1957 Feb;16(1):236–249. doi: 10.1099/00221287-16-1-236. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Suzuki Y., Rode L. J. Effect of lysozyme on resting spores of Bacillus megaterium. J Bacteriol. 1969 Apr;98(1):238–245. doi: 10.1128/jb.98.1.238-245.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. WARTH A. D., OHYE D. F., MURRELL W. G. Location and composition of spore mucopeptide in Bacillus species. J Cell Biol. 1963 Mar;16:593–609. doi: 10.1083/jcb.16.3.593. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Weiss K. F., Strong D. H. Some properties of heat-resistant and heat-sensitive strains of Clostridium perfringens. I. Heat resistance and toxigenicity. J Bacteriol. 1967 Jan;93(1):21–26. doi: 10.1128/jb.93.1.21-26.1967. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES