Abstract
The effect of oxygen on growth, sporulation, and mosquito larval toxin synthesis byBacillus sphaericus 1593 grown in a small fermentor was investigated. With air as the source of oxygen, about one-half of the cells sporulated and 1022 units of toxicity/mg of cell dry weight were formed. A shift to 100% oxygen in the gas stream maintained a higher level of dissolved oxygen in the medium, but this produced a late block in sporulation; however, toxin synthesis was normal. The mechanism of oxygen inhibition of sporulation byB. sphaericus is unknown, but the same effect was observed inB. subtilis 168. Stopping of the air flow at 8 h, after forespores were completed in about one-half the cells, inhibited the completion of sporulation, but did not decrease toxin production.
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Yousten, A.A., Wallis, D.A. & Singer, S. Effect of oxygen on growth, sporulation, and mosquito larval toxin formation byBacillus sphaericus 1593. Current Microbiology 11, 175–178 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01567345
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01567345