Timing of Protein Synthesis during Germination and Outgrowth of Spores of Bacillus cereus Strain T

Abstract

THE emergence of a vegetative cell from a dormant bacterial spore represents one of the most direct examples of intracellular differentiation. During this transition, progressive changes in the pattern of RNA synthesis¹, classes of ribosomal particles², metabolic activity^3,4 and structures^5,6 are observed. Although the complete differentiation process is dependent on RNA and protein synthesis, not all the individual stages depend on new protein synthesis. It has been generally assumed that this transition involves two stages: (a) germination, which is characterized by degradative reactions and breaking of the dormant state, and (b) outgrowth, which is dependent on biosynthesis of new cellular components. The metabolic activity observed after the addition of germinating agents is probably due to a combination of two responses: activation or ‘unmasking’ of some dormant enzyme system and/or early biosynthesis. It is the purpose of the present report to determine whether these two stages are separated in time and to determine whether transcription and translation are ordered events during outgrowth.