CHEMICAL CHANGES DURING SPORE GERMINATION 7o 



our Speculations as to the structure of the resting spore and the changes 

 which occur during germination, we have suggested that the protoplasm of 

 the resting spore is a highly condensed "waterproofed" system stabilized by 

 the incorporation of calcium dipicolinate and possibly by the constitution of 

 the spore coat (Powell and Strange, 1956; Powell and Hunter, 1956). We 

 have also suggested that during germination hydration of this structure and 

 a process akin to depolymerization occurs, reactive enzyme groups are freed, 

 and the spore becomes capable of metabolism and growth. These views do 

 not differ esentially from the very early suggestions made by Lewith (1889). 

 Evidence has recently been obtained (Powell and Strange, 1956; Strange and 

 Dark, 1957) that spores contain a lytic system, similar to lysozyme, capa- 

 ble of releasing the DAP-alanine-glutamic acid-hexosamine peptide from 

 spore coat preparations. It is possible that the activation of this enzyme and 

 its attack on the spore coat may be the "key" reactions of the germination 

 process. To suggest a mechanism for this activation and its connection with 

 the specific germination requirement in a given Bacillus species we find to be 

 an imaginative exercise far beyond our powers. 



References 



De Jong, B. 1949. Colloid Science 2: Chapter 9. 



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Douglas. H. W. and D. J. Shaw. 1956. Electrophoretic studies on model 

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Lewith, S. 1889. Ueber die Ursache der Widerstandsfahigkeit der Sporen 

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Powell, J. F. 1950. Factors affecting the germination of thick suspensions 

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Powell, J. F. 1953. Isolation of dipicolinic acid ( pyridine-2:6-dicarboxylic 

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Powell, J. F. and J. R. Hunter. 1956. Adenosine deaminase and ribosidase in 

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