The Genes Encode an Original Legionaminic Acid Pathway Required for Crust Assembly in Bacillus subtilis.

The crust is the outermost spore layer of most strains devoid of an exosporium. This outermost layer, composed of both proteins and carbohydrates, plays a major role in the adhesion and spreading of spores into the environment. Recent studies have identified several crust proteins and have provided insights about their organization at the spore surface.