Abstract
Rode, L. J. (The University of Texas, Austin), and J. W. Foster. Quantitative aspects of exchangeable calcium in spores of Bacillus megaterium. J. Bacteriol. 91:1589-1593. 1966.-More than 90% of the calcium in Ca(45)-labeled native spores was released from the cells during germination. Some 95% of the spore calcium was not exchangeable when ungerminated native spores were titrated to pH 4 with HNO(3). Ca, Mg, Na, Si, and Fe were displaced from the spores by H(+). The adsorption of Ca(45) by H-spores and its subsequent release were studied under a variety of conditions. The isolated "coat fraction" of spores adsorbed substantial amounts of Ca(45). Release of the adsorbed Ca was achieved with various reagents.