Chemical factors in the germination of spore-bearing aerobes. The effects of amino-acids on the germination of Bacillus anthracis, with some observations on the relation of optical form to biological activity

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Abstract
The germination of spores of a'' virulent strain of B. anthracis was studied by means of viable counts, and the amino acid requirement detd. Slow germination occurred in phosphate buffer at pH 7.3, but was greatly stimulated by 500[mu][image] L-alanine, 500 [mu] [image] L-tyrosine and 2[mu][image] adenosine together. L-Alanine was not replaceable by related compounds and its action was strongly inhibited by D-alanine at a concn. 0.03 times that of its antipode. The inhibition was reversed by increasing the proportion of the L-form. L-Tyrosine was replaceable by related compounds with little decrease in efficiency, none of the groups[long dash]phenolic hydroxyl, amino and carboxyl[long dash]being essential for activity. Its activity was not suppressed when supplied as DL-tyrosine. Of 17 other amino acids tested, none showed significant stimulation of germination. Glycine, DL-methionine, DL-cysteine and DL-valine showed inhibition, but only at concns. 1000 times that at which D-alanine inhibited.
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