When is Sporulation initiated by spore-forming bacteria?

All bacteria do not produce spores. Production of spores is a quality of bacteria that helps them strive in an environment that is not suitable for ordinary bacteria to even stay alive. Vegetative form of bacteria is even killed by boiling at 100°C. Whereas spores can withstand this temperature easily. Some bacteria like Bacillus and Clostridium species of Gram positive bacteria are able to produce spores. Spores enable bacteria to expand their life span as these spores of bacteria are resistant to heat, ultraviolet radiations, desiccation, extreme weather conditions either extremely cold or extremely hot. Bacteria become dormant until favorable conditions are achieved again.

Spore forming bacteria initiate the formation of spores due to following reasons:

• Lack of nutrition in the current environment
• Sudden change in environment

But, it is not impossible to kill these spores by ordinary routine methods that are generally used to kill bacteria. Methods like tyndallization and autoclaving can kill spores.

Spores can live up to hundreds of years and wait till favorable conditions prevail again. Once the favorable conditions arrive spores can easily convert in vegetative form, reproduce and increase their bacterial population.

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