Biochemical studies on glucose initiated germination in Bacillus megaterium.
Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 spores contained the enzymes for the Embden-Meyerhof pathway and the initial reactions in the hexose monophosphate pathway but not the Entner-Doudoroff pathway. With [U-14C]glucose no metabolism was detected until after about 30% of the spores had lost heat resistance. Mutants that lacked either phosphofructokinase or 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase were able to initiate germination on glucose like wild type. Purified methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside, 6-deoxyglucose and 6-deoxy-methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside were not substrates for spore enzymes yet these compounds still initiated germination. Therefore, metabolism of exogenously added glucose is probably not the primary stimulatory effect in germination.
D001410:Bacillus megaterium / Q000201:enzymology*; D003847:Deoxyglucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006019:Glycolysis; D008757:Methylglucosides / Q000494:pharmacology; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000201:enzymology; D013997:Time Factors
D008757:Methylglucosides; D003847:Deoxyglucose; D005947:Glucose