Physical behaviour of bacterial spores and water: implications for spore resistance
Bacillus subtilis cells have the capacity to form spores which are metabolically dormant in response to starvation. In this form, bacterial spores are highly resistant to stress and can survive for millions years [1].They even represent the most resistant model alive. Interestingly, when the conditions become favorable, bacterial spores can readily break their dormancy and return to their previous state of vegetative cells, the so-called germination process [2,3]. The mechanisms involved in the resistance and germination of bacterial spores still remain only partly clear. One of the main specificity of bacterial spore is its ability to maintain the spore core in a relatively constant hydration state (around 8.5 and 15 % spore water content over dry weight) whatever the external conditions are. This low, but constant hydration seems essential to maintain the functionality of vital biomolecules (ribosomes, enzymes, membrane receptors,…) which are required for spore germination. Quantity, localization, mobility and state of core water are up to now poorly known. Comprehension of core hydration would certainly help to optimize drying methods and spore inactivation in food sterilization
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PERRIER CORNET Jean-Marie; COLAS DE LA NOUE Alexandre; Bernhard Frick; KOZA Michael Marek; LEME Mathieu; NATALI Francesca; OLLIVIER Jacques; PETERS Judith and SEYDEL Tilo. (2013). Physical behaviour of bacterial spores and water: implications for spore resistance. Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) doi:10.5291/ILL-DATA.8-04-686
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