Inhibitory Effect of Dipicolinic Acid on the Anaerobic Oxidation of Glucose by the Cell-free Extract from Vegetative Cells of B. subtilis

Abstract

IT has been reported that the dipicolinic acid content of several species of bacterial spores ranges from 5 to 10 per cent of the dry weight of spores1,2. The biological actions of dipicolinic acid in spores have been discussed in a few reports. Harrell3 suggested that the release of dipicolinic acid from spores has some relation to the ability of the organism to oxidize glucose. Harrell, Doi and Halvorson4 have further shown that dipicolinic acid has a stimulatory effect on glucose oxidation of the cell-free extract of B. cereus spores. The relationships of dipicolinic acid content to the heat stability5 and to the stainability6 of spores have also been studied.