NITROGENOUS COMPOUNDS IN GERMINATION AND POSTGERMINATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF BACILLUS MEGATERIUM SPORES

Levinson, Hillel S. (Quartermaster Research and Engineering Center, Natick, Mass.)and Mildred T. Hyatt . Nitrogenous compounds in germination and postgerminative development ofBacillus megaterium spores. J. Bacteriol.83: 1224–1230. 1962.—Of the 48 inorganic and organic nitrogenous compounds tested, onlyl -alanine, glucosamine, andN -acetylglucosamine promote germination of unheated spores ofBacillus megaterium . Heated spores also germinate in nitrate, nitrite,l -cysteine,dl -isoleucine,l -leucine,dl -methionine,dl -norleucine,l -proline andl -valine.A source of nitrogen is required for postgerminative development, but nitrogenous compounds which effect germination do not necessarily support postgerminative development. Nitrogenous compounds which support postgerminative development include (NH4 )2 SO4 , nitrates,d -alanine,l -alanine,l -arginine,l -asparagine,l -aspartic andl -glutamic acids, glutamine,l -proline, adenine, adenosine, and guanosine. Oxygen consumption rates during postgerminative development are different with different nitrogen sources, and these rates, in general, reflect the extent of postgerminative development. Utilization of amino and ammonium nitrogen during postgerminative development was followed, and the concentration requirements were determined (ca 10 mm for at least one cell division of 5 × 108 spores). Inhibitor studies on postgerminative development are included.