Germination of Bacterial Spores by Long-Chain Alkyl Amines

SURFACE-ACTIVE agents induce striking changes in the physical, chemical and biological properties of bacterial spores 1,2 . The alterations caused by selected quaternary ammonium compounds are relatively minor at room temperature, but rapid and large at 50–100° C. The changes in spores of Bacillus m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 1960-12, Vol.188 (4756), p.1132-1134
Main Authors: RODE, L. J, FOSTER, J. W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amines
Bacillus - pharmacology
Humanities and Social Sciences
letter
multidisciplinary
Old Medline
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Spores, Bacterial
Surface-Active Agents - pharmacology
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Summary:SURFACE-ACTIVE agents induce striking changes in the physical, chemical and biological properties of bacterial spores 1,2 . The alterations caused by selected quaternary ammonium compounds are relatively minor at room temperature, but rapid and large at 50–100° C. The changes in spores of Bacillus megaterium brought about by combinations of mild heat and the quaternary ammonium compounds studied were practically identical with germinative changes induced by L -alanine and inosine 3,4 except that the cells treated with surfactants were non-viable 2 . In all probability this class of surfactants induced germination, the germinated spores being hypersensitive to the concentrations of surfactants required for germination and being killed immediately on germination.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/1881132b0