Inhibitory Effect of Dipicolinic Acid on the Anaerobic Oxidation of Glucose by the Cell-free Extract from Vegetative Cells of B. subtilis

Abstract

IT has been reported that the dipicolinic acid content of several species of bacterial spores ranges from 5 to 10 per cent of the dry weight of spores^1,2. The biological actions of dipicolinic acid in spores have been discussed in a few reports. Harrell³ suggested that the release of dipicolinic acid from spores has some relation to the ability of the organism to oxidize glucose. Harrell, Doi and Halvorson⁴ have further shown that dipicolinic acid has a stimulatory effect on glucose oxidation of the cell-free extract of B. cereus spores. The relationships of dipicolinic acid content to the heat stability⁵ and to the stainability⁶ of spores have also been studied.