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EVIDENCE OF NUTRIENT INDUCED SPORE GERMINATION IN BACTERIA FROM STRESS ENVIRONMENT

UQBA MEHMOOD AND SHAHIDA HASNAIN

Abstract: During unfavorable conditions many bacteria ensure their survival through spore formation, which germinate on restoration of suitable conditions. Defects in sporulation may be associated with inability of spores to germinate. Here are reported results of four Bacillus strains Gd64, Gd90, Gd213 and Gd208, isolated from saline environment. The spores of these strains appeared to be germination defective. To probe the defect analysis, both ALA and AGFK systems were executed. Different germinants such as L-Glutamine, L-Valine, L-Isoleucine, DL-Phenylalanine, and DL-Proline were substituted for L-Alanine and L-Asparagines in ALA and AGFK systems respectively. Results reveal that germination defective spores showed better response in AGFK system than ALA system, while germinants L-Glutamine, DL-Proline and DL-Phenylalanine exhibited better percentage germination than L-alanine and L-Asparagines. So there may be more than one mutation involved in germination defect.

Department of Botany, University of Punjab, Quaid-E-Azam Campus, Lahore (54590).