Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Visualization of Germinosomes and the Inner Membrane in Bacillus subtilis Spores
Published on: April 15, 2019
Spore formation in Bacillus subtilis
Irene S Tan1, Kumaran S Ramamurthi
1Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA; NIH-Johns Hopkins University Graduate Partnerships Program, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
Abstract:
Although prokaryotes ordinarily undergo binary fission to produce two identical daughter cells, some are able to undergo alternative developmental pathways that produce daughter cells of distinct cell morphology and fate. One such example is a developmental programme called sporulation in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis, which occurs under conditions of environmental stress. Sporulation has long been used as a model system to help elucidate basic processes of developmental biology including transcription regulation, intercellular signalling, membrane remodelling, protein localization and cell fate determination. This review highlights some of the recent work that has been done to further understand prokaryotic cell differentiation during sporulation and its potential applications.
Related Concept Videos
Gene Regulation During Sporulation
Endospores and Sporulation
Production of Biopesticides
Bacterial Phylum Actinobacteria
Diversity of Protists IV
Microbes in the Production of Fermented Foods

