Spores, sources

Bacterial endospores, mold spores. Source Zoecklein et al. (1995)... 

Thermophilic bacteria are able to grow at 55°C. They are spore-forming bacilli that can enter milk from a variety of farm sources. Tbermophiles grow ia milk held at elevated temperatures. Their presence ia milk is determined by means of the agar plate method and iacubation at 55°C. 

Prepare spores, fungal conidia/small pellets in Petri dish or cotton-plugged flask, for 48 hours. Harvest the spore in separate flask with media for propagation. Once in the separated flask the concentration of spores has reached to about 3 million per litre. It is now ready to be transferred to a 21 B. Braun biostat fermenter. The minimum volume of harvested spores in the flask is 300 ml. Media must be prepared based on sufficient carbon source... 

Bradbury, J.H., Foster, J.R., Hammer, B., Lindsay, J. Murrell, W.G. (1981). The source of heat resistance of bacterial spores. Study of water in spores by NMR. Biochimica Biophysica Acta, 678, 157-64. 

Surprisingly little is known about the resistance of yeasts, fungi and fungal spores to disinfeetants and preservatives. They are a major source of potential contamination in pharmaceutical product preparation and aseptic processing since they abound in the environment. It is, however, possible to make some general observations ... 

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation at wavelengths between 280 and 240 nm (2800 and 2400 A) is used to reduce bacterial contamination of air, but is only active at a relatively short distance from source. Bacteria and mould spores, in particular those with heavily pigmented spore coats, are often resistant to such treatment... 

This consists of absorbable strands of collagen derived fiom mammahan tissue, particularly the intestine of sheep. Because of its source, it is particularly prone to bacterial contamination, and even anaerobic spores may be found in such material. 

The basal medium of Mandels (Mandels et al., 1976) was used with the following modifications it was buffered with 3 g/1 of sodium nitrate to pH 5.5 and supplemented with 1% w/v citrus pectin " Sigma" or other carbon sources. For enzyme production, 50 ml medium in 250 ml erlemneyer flasks were inoculatedwith spores (10 spores /ml ) exept for the non sporulating Pol 6 strain, where mycelium was used. The culture were incubated at 30° C on a rotary shaker (150 rev mn -1) for 5 days. The culture broth was filtered (Millipore 0.45 pm ) and the supernatant was analysed for pectinolytic activities, reducing sugars and proteins. 

The air that we breathe is full of microbial cells and spores of bacteria and fungi. Because they are extremely light they are readily are carried by wind currents. In hot weather soil, a rich source of all types of microbes, turns to dust and increases the airborne microbial population... 

Pribil, P. Patton, E. Black, G. Doroshenko, V. M. Fenselau, C. Rapid characterization of Bacillus spores targeting species-unique peptides produced with an atmospheric-pressure MALDI source. J. Mass Spectrom. 2005, 40,464-474. 

Bacterial spores have been deliberately taken into space, in particular spores of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Up to 70 per cent of the bacterial spores survive in the short term for approximately 10 days of exposure to space vacuum. The chances of survival in space are increased if the spores are embedded in chemical protection such as sugars, or salt crystals, or if they are exposed in thick layers. For example, 30 per cent of B. subtilis spores survived for nearly 6 years in space when embedded in salt crystals and 80 per cent survived in the presence of glucose. Bacillus subtilis spores in Dominican amber have remained viable for several million years. Transport to a friendly environment with a source of energy is all that is required for life to be seeded on this planet or the next. 

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