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Role of Disulphide Bonds in the Resistance of Bacillus cereus Spores to Gamma Irradiation and Heat
Author(s) -
Hitchins A. D.,
King W. L.,
Gould G. W.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
journal of applied bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 0021-8847
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1966.tb03501.x
Subject(s) - spore , bacillus cereus , irradiation , cereus , lysozyme , chemistry , heat resistance , thiol , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , bacteria , biology , materials science , genetics , nuclear physics , composite material , physics
S ummary . Spores of Bacillus cereus were treated with thioglycollic acid which ruptures at least 10–30% of the spore disulphide bonds by reducing them to thiol groups. The treated spores were still viable and were sensitive to lysozyme but remained as resistant to γ‐irradiation and to heat as untreated spores. Neither treated nor untreated spores were sensitized to irradiation by reagents which block thiol groups. The results did not indicate that the high content of disulphide bonds in spore coat protein protects spores against inactivation by irradiation or heat.