Diversity of the Germination Apparatus in Groups I, II, III, and IV.

is a highly dangerous pathogen that forms very resistant endospores that are ubiquitous in the environment, and which, under favorable conditions germinate to produce vegetative cells that multiply and form the exceptionally potent botulinum neurotoxin. To improve the control of botulinum neurotoxin-forming clostridia, it is important to understand the mechanisms involved in spore germination. Here we present models for spore germination in based on comparative genomics analyses, with Groups I and III sharing similar pathways, which differ from those proposed for Groups II and IV.