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. 1968 Jun;95(6):2249–2257. doi: 10.1128/jb.95.6.2249-2257.1968

Microcyst Germination in Myxococcus xanthus1

W Scott Ramsey a, Martin Dworkin a,2
PMCID: PMC315159  PMID: 5669898

Abstract

Germination of glycerol-prepared microcysts of Myxococcus xanthus was studied. The sequence of morphological events during germination resembled that of germinating fruiting body-microcysts. The turbidity drop of a culture of germinating microcysts could be described by McCormick's formula derived for germinating Bacillus spores. The rate of uptake of labeled glycine and acetate did not change during germination. Temperature, aeration, and pH optima for germination were the same as for vegetative cell growth. Germination was induced by protein hydrolysates and the individual amino acids glycine, alanine, valine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid. A number of organic compounds, including sugars, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, organic acids, and chelating agents, did not induce germination. The inorganic ions HPO42−, Mg++, Ca++, and NH4+ induced germination, although ionic strength was not a factor. Microcysts incubated in distilled water at concentrations greater than about 109 cells/ml germinated; supernatant fluid from such suspensions (germination factor) induced germination of less concentrated suspensions. The activity of germination factor was resistant to boiling, but was lost on charring and dialysis. Germination of microcysts and growth of vegetative cells was equally sensitive to a variety of metabolic inhibitors, including penicillin and chloramphenicol. Germination was more resistant than vegetative growth to inhibition by antibiotics of the streptomycin family and by actinomycin D.

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Selected References

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

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