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Germination Response of Bacillus licheniformis Spores to Amino Acids¹

Department of Dairy Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus

ABSTRACT

Twenty-four amino acids were studied as to their effect on germination of Bacillus licheniformis spores, and only L-alanine, L-cysteine, and L-valine markedly stimulated germination. Considerable variation in the rate and extent of germination in response to L-cysteine and L-valine was observed with several isolates of B. licheniformis obtained from raw milk, but all isolates responded similarly to L-alanine. The rate at which germination occurred in the presence of these amino acids with one particular isolate of B. licheniformis was extremely rapid, with significant germination evident after 4 min of incubation with L-alanine, after 6 min with L-cysteine, and after 8 min with L-valine. Very low levels of L-alanine were sufficient to stimulate considerable germination of B. licheniformis spores, with 0.0005 and 0.001% L-alanine inducing 40 and 68% germination, respectively, after 15 min of incubation at 35 C. D-alanine was only slightly stimulatory to spore germination, and when present with equal concentrations of L-alanine, the stimulatory effect of L-alanine was inhibited.

¹ Article Number 7-63. Department of Dairy Technology, Ohio State University. Supported by a grant from the U. S. Public Health Service (National Institutes of Health).