Open AccessLevels of Glycine Betaine in Growing Cells and Spores of Bacillus Species and Lack of Effect of Glycine Betaine on Dormant Spore Resistance
Author(s) -
Charles A. Loshon,
Paul G. Wahome,
Mark W. Maciejewski,
Peter Setlow
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.652
H-Index - 246
eISSN - 1067-8832
pISSN - 0021-9193
DOI - 10.1128/jb.188.8.3153-3158.2006
Subject(s) - spore , bacillus subtilis , dipicolinic acid , biology , glycine , betaine , bacillus megaterium , microbiology and biotechnology , cereus , bacillales , bacillus cereus , germination , bacterial spore , bacteria , bacillaceae , endospore , biochemistry , food science , botany , amino acid , genetics
Bacteria of variousBacillus species are able to grow in media with very high osmotic strength in part due to the accumulation of low-molecular-weight osmolytes such as glycine betaine (GB). Cells ofBacillus species grown in rich and minimal media contained low levels of GB, but GB levels were 4- to 60-fold higher in cells grown in media with high salt. GB levels inBacillus subtilis cells grown in minimal medium were increased ∼7-fold by GB in the medium and 60-fold by GB plus high salt. GB was present in spores ofBacillus species prepared in media with or without high salt but at lower levels than in comparable growing cells. With spores prepared in media with high salt, GB levels were highest inB. subtilis spores and ≥20-fold lower inB. cereus andB. megaterium spores. Athough GB levels inB. subtilis spores were elevated 15- to 30-fold by GB plus high salt in sporulation media, GB levels did not affect spore resistance. GB levels were similar in wild-typeB. subtilis spores and spores that lacked major small, acid-soluble spore proteins but were much lower in spores that lacked dipicolinic acid.