IMMUNOLOGICAL DETECTION OF THE GERA SPORE GERMINATION PROTEINS IN THESPORE INTEGUMENTS OF BACILLUS-SUBTILIS USING SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY

To clarify the molecular mechanisms that trigger spore germination of Bacillus subtilis, the location of GerA proteins (GerAA, GerAB and Ger AC), which were reported to be putative gene products of a receptor fo r one of the germinants, L-alanine, was investigated by immunological techniques using anti-GerA peptide antibodies. Four antibodies were ra ised against the corresponding epitopes, two in GerAA, one in GerAB an d the other in GerAC molecules, The binding of all four antibodies to the inner surface of the cortex-less spore coat fragments could be see n by scanning immunoelectron microscopy with colloidal gold particles. The result agreed with the fact, previously reported, that the colloi dal gold particles were visualized just inside the spore coat layer by transmission immunoelectron microscopy using another anti-GerAB pepti de antibody.