Identification of several unique low molecular weight basic proteins in dormant spores of Bacillusmegaterium and their degradation during spore germination

Abstract

Summary Approximately 20% of the total protein of Bacillus megaterium spores is degraded during the first 20 minutes of spore germination, and > 90% of the degradation can be accounted for by a fraction extracted from disrupted spores with dilute acetic acid. This fraction from dormant spores contains only two major proteins on disc gel electrophoresis at pH 4.3. These protein bands are not seen in acetic acid extracts from germinated spores, vegetative cells or early stationary phase cells, but they appear during sporulation about 1 hour prior to the appearance of refractile spores. The proteins in the acetic acid soluble fraction from dormant spores are all of low molecular weight (7–12,000) and are quite basic (pI > 9.6).