[Sporulation in Bacillus licheniformis strains that do not synthesize bacitracin and serine exo- and endoproteases]

Abstract

Sporulation and synthesis of bacitracin, a peptide antibiotic and serine exoproteases and endoproteases were studied in 6 strains of Bacillus licheniformis at various periods of cultivation in sporulation media. Thermostable spores in all the strains were shown to form in the absence of both the exogenic and endogenic antibiotic and proteases. It was suggested that bacitracin and the serine proteases were not specific regulators of sporogenesis in B. licheniformis and their biological function under the natural conditions included, respectively, the antibiotic action and hydrolysis of proteins and peptides of the environment and cells.