Metabolism and the Triggering of Germination of Bacillus megaterium CONCENTRATIONS OF AMINO ACIDS, ORGANIC ACIDS, ADENINE NUCLEOTIDES AND NICOTINAMIDE NUCLEOTIDES DURING GERMINATION By IAN R. SCOTT* and DAVID J. ELLAR

A considerable amount ofevidence suggests that metabolism ofgerminants or metabolism stimulated by them is involved in triggering bacterial-spore germination. On the assumption that such a metabolic trigger might lead to relatively small biochemical changes in the first few minutes of germination, sensitive analytical techniques were used to detect any changes in spore components during the L-alanine-triggered germination of Bacillus megateriumKM spores. These experiments showed that no changes in spore free amino acids or ATP occurred until 2-3 min after L-alanine addition. Spores contained almost no oxo acids (pyruvate, a-oxoglutarate, oxaloacetate), malate or reduced NAD. These compounds were again not detectable until 2-3 min after addition ofgerminants. It is suggested, therefore, that metabolism associated with these intermediates is not involved in the triggering of germination of this organism.