Table 3.

Effects of various multivalent cations on the valine germination of intact and decoated wild-type B. subtilis spores^a

Cation	% spore germination in:
	Intact spores at cation concn of:					Decoated spores at cation concn of:
	0	50 μM	500 μM	2.5 mM	5 mM	0	50 μM	500 μM	2.5 mM	5 mM
Gd3+	96	92	94	84		85	0	0	0
Dy3+	96	92	94	96		84	0	0	0
Ca2+	94	88	92		88	82	72	64		60
Mg2+	94	88	90		82	82	76	64		48
Zn2+	94	90	88		20	82	0	0		0

^aIntact and chemically decoated wild-type B. subtilis spores (PS533) were germinated for 2.5 h at 37°C with 2 mM l-valine plus various concentrations of divalent and trivalent cation chlorides, and the percentages of germinated spores were determined by phase-contrast microscopy as described in the text.