Importance of Individual Germination Receptor Subunits in the Cooperative Function between GerA and Ynd.

Germination of spores is triggered by the binding of specific nutrients to germinant receptors (GRs) located in the spore's inner membrane. The GRs typically consist of A, B, and C subunits, encoded by tricistronic operons. The genome contains the family operons , , and In contrast to the ABC(D) organization that characterizes operons of many species, genomes contain a pentacistronic operon comprising the , , , , and genes encoding A, B, B, C, and B GR subunits, respectively (subscripts indicate paralogs).

Effects of High Pressure on Bacillus licheniformis Spore Germination and Inactivation.

and species form spores, which pose a challenge to the food industry due to their ubiquitous nature and extreme resistance. Pressurization at <300 MPa triggers spore germination by activating germination receptors (GRs), while pressurization at >300 MPa likely triggers germination by opening dipicolinic acid (DPA) channels present in the inner membrane of the spores. In this work, we expose spores of , a species associated with food spoilage and occasionally with food poisoning, to high pressure (HP) for holding times of up to 2 h.

Costs and benefits of natural transformation in Acinetobacter baylyi.

Background: Natural transformation enables acquisition of adaptive traits and drives genome evolution in prokaryotes. Yet, the selective forces responsible for the evolution and maintenance of natural transformation remain elusive since taken-up DNA has also been hypothesized to provide benefits such as nutrients or templates for DNA repair to individual cells.

Results: We investigated the immediate effects of DNA uptake and recombination on the naturally competent bacterium Acinetobacter baylyi in both benign and genotoxic conditions.

The Cooperative and Interdependent Roles of GerA, GerK, and Ynd in Germination of Bacillus licheniformis Spores.

Unlabelled: When nutrients are scarce, Bacillus species form metabolically dormant and extremely resistant spores that enable survival over long periods of time under conditions not permitting growth. The presence of specific nutrients triggers spore germination through interaction with germinant receptors located in the spore's inner membrane. Bacillus licheniformis is a biotechnologically important species, but it is also associated with food spoilage and food-borne disease.