Bacteria and Spores
Location: Outside U.S.
Date: Winter 2011-2012
What factors would initiate spore formation in bacteria?
Generally when bacteria with the ability to form endospores (Firmicutes)
have sensed the lack of nutrients in the environment, sporulation occurs.
This happens at the time when exponential growth has stopped and stationary
phase has begun. Some bacterial species have a tendency to sporulate easier
than others. Once sporulation has begun, it is unstoppable, even with the
addition of nutrients in the medium. Once the spores have finished forming,
nutrients such as glucose, potassium salts, or amino acids will cause the
spores to germinate and bacterial growth will start again.
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Update: June 2012