FIG 5.

Germination efficiency monitored by OD loss. Spores of the wild type and sps, spsA, and gerE mutants were induced to germinate by L-Ala-GFK as previously reported (24). Upon induction of germination, variations in OD₅₈₀ readings were monitored at 5-min intervals for 1 h. The data are averages from three independent experiments performed with spores prepared independently.