FIG 6.

Loss of HtrC does not alter the germination rates of B. anthracis and B. subtilis spores. Spores were heat activated and germinated in rich medium as described in Materials and Methods; germination and outgrowth were tracked as changes in OD₆₀₀. The data shown are averages of results from three independent spore preparations; error bars are omitted for clarity. (A) B. anthracis wild-type (DPBa2; ■) and ΔhtrC (DPBa178; ●) spores were decoated and germinated in BHI broth. The two strains were not statistically different from one another (P > 0.3) at any time point. (B) B. subtilis wild-type (PS832; ■), ΔcwlJ (FB111; ◆), ΔhtrC (DPVB668; ●), and ΔcwlJ ΔhtrC (DPVB669; ▲) spores were germinated in 2× YT broth. The wild-type and ΔhtrC strains were not significantly different, and the ΔcwlJ and ΔcwlJ ΔhtrC strains were not significantly different (P > 0.2) at any time point. The wild-type and ΔcwlJ strains were significantly different from 30 to 60 min, and the ΔhtrC and ΔcwlJ ΔhtrC strains were significantly different from 12 to 50 min (P < 0.05).