The role of intracellular glucan in endogenous fermentation and spore maturation in Clostridium botulinum type E

Abstract

The intracellular glucan of Clostridium botulinum type E (Minnesota) was rapidly accumulated then lost during growth and spore formation in glucose–trypticase media. In the absence of an exogenous supply of glucose, non-proliferating cell suspensions prepared from glucan-rich cells rapidly fermented their glucan reserves concurrent with the formation of mature spores. Exogenous glucose did not alter the rate of glucan fermentation although subsequent spore formation was either markedly reduced or inhibited. The data indicate that glucose was the sole precursor of glucan biosynthesis and that intracellular glucan in this organism functions in the capacity of an endogenous substrate supplying the cell with a readily available source of carbon and (or) energy for spore maturation.