Endospore Stains,Genera Bacillus,Sporolactobacillus,Clostridium,Desulfatomaculum,Sporosarcina,Toxic Chemicals

Endospore Stains

	Endospore Stains Species of genera Bacillus, Sporolactobacillus, Clostridium, Desulfatomaculum and Sporosarcina have the ability to form a thick walled oval body, usually, one per cell. These cells have capacity to survive for long period even in the unfavourable environmental conditions like high temperature, presence of toxic chemicals, radiations, absence of moisture etc.
This resistant body is produced within the bacterial cell and therefore, it is called endospore or more commonly spare. Unique feature of spore formation is the synthesis of large amount of dipicolinic acid which is undetectable in the vegetative cells. This substance is present in mature spore as the calcium salt (Figure) and accounts for about 10-15% of its dry weight. It is now known that the cortical layer of spore is made up of calcium-dipicolinic acid-peptidoglycan (CDP) complex.
The resistance of Spores to physical and chemical agents is attributed to the extremely dehydrated state of spore and impermeability of spore coat. Recent evidences suggest that there is no relationship between the heat resistance and the amount of dipicolinic acid present in the spore.