title: N-acetylmuramic acid inhibits spore germination and germination enzymes.
abstract: This report describes the inhibition of spore germination by N-acetylmuramic acid. At concentrations of 20 mM and higher, the rate of germination of the treated spores was ten-fold lower than that of the control spores. The inhibitor also depressed the activity of two germination-related enzymes; a coat-associated hexosaminidase and a core enzyme. These findings suggests that N-acetylmuramic acid affects spore germination by inhibition of the corticolytic enzymes. The results are discussed with respect to the possible role of these enzymes in germination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of California, San Diego La Jolla 92093.
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sanford
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Granada
mesh_terms: D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D006596:Hexosaminidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D009112:Muramic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013400:Sugar Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D009112:Muramic Acids; D013400:Sugar Acids; C031651:N-acetylmuramic acid; D006596:Hexosaminidases