title: Effect of reduced water activity on vegetative growth of cells and on germination of endospores of Sporolactobacillus.
abstract: Growth of vegetative cells and germination of endospores of Sporolactobacillus at reduced water activity (aw) values were studied with NaCl and glycerol as humectants, and compared with Bacillus cereus and Clostridium sporogenes. With NaCl the highest aw for complete inhibition of both growth of vegetative cells and germinated spores of Sporolactobacillus was 0.955. With glycerol, growth of vegetative cells was completely inhibited at 0.905 as compared to 0.880 for vegetative growth resulting from germinated endospores. The mechanism of this phenomenon cannot be explained yet. NaCl appeared to have a toxic effect, in addition to inhibition by reduced aw per se.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Botha
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Holzapfel
mesh_terms: D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D003013:Clostridium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D005990:Glycerol / Q000494:pharmacology; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014867:Water / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D005990:Glycerol