[Change in Bacillus anthracoides spores and their content of dipicolinic acid during germination]

The content of dipicolinic acid (DPA) was assayed in the spores of Bacillus anthracoides 96 during various stages of its growth. The content of DPA was ca. 10.7 per cent of the dry biomass weight in the seven-day-old culture containing 96 to 99 per cent of the spores in a "starvation" medium. The morphology of the culture was modified, and the content of DPA in the spores fell to 3.6 per cent half an hour after the inoculation into the medium favourable for the growth (MPA). During the following one to four hours of the germination, the refraction index of the spores and the content of DPA in them decreased (the content of DPA to 2 per cent).