Role of Amino Acids in Germination of Bacillus Licheniformis Spores. I. Uptake of Radioactive Amino Acids by Germinating and Dormant Spores

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Abstract
The uptake of amino-acids by B. licheniformis spores was investigated using radioactive L-alanine, L-valine, DL-glutamic-acid and glycine. The uptake of L-alanine and L-valine was rapid in germinating spores, with the major portion of the radioactivity being incorporated into the cytoplasm rather than in the spore coat during and following germination. Approximately 80% of the radioactivity in the cytoplasm of spores germinated with radioactive L-alanine was soluble in cold trichloroacetic-acid, and was not associated with the ribosomal fraction of the spore cytoplasm. Radioactive giycine and DL-glutamic-acid readily entered the dormant spore, even though germination did not occur, and became almost entirely associated with the cytoplasm. The uptake of glycine in the dormant spore increased continuously during 2 hrs. of incubation, whereas the uptake of DL-glutamic-acid was independent of incubation time. When L-alanine was added as a spore germinant along with radioactive glycine, the incorporation of radioactive glycine occurred immediately, with essentially no increase during germination and post-germinative development. When radioactive DL-glutamic-acid was present with L-alanine, the uptake of DL-glutamic-acid dramatically increased following germination.

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