Our knowledge regarding the properties of bacterial spores, per se, has been impeded by the more or less universal impression that spores are metabolically inactive or inert. Except for occasional theories concerning spore-cycles and the like, the usual conception of spore function has been limited to ipso facto sporulation under conditions of unfavorable environment, and germination when conditions again become favorable. Some exceptions are noted in the cases of certain organisms having peculiar tendencies toward dormancy or latent germination.Spore properties, such as minimal metabolism, respiration, enzyme production and the possibility of varying degrees of pregermination stimulation have received little attention or credence. There have been isolated attempts to gain information concerning these still hypothetical properties; some of these will be discussed later.Just as studies of the intimate details of metabolism have aided greatly in other fields of biological research, so a finer comprehension of spore properties and spore function should result in material improvement and greater precision in studies of the heat resistance and dormancy of bacterial spores, a subject which so vitally affects various routine laboratory procedures and their industrial applications.The two strains of the organism with which all of the preliminary work reported here was concerned were isolated in pure cul-1 This communication is based on a portion of a thesis submitted to the Graduate School of Yale University by the senior author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
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