The Story of Germ LifeConn, H. W. (Herbert William)
Science
The Story of Germ Life
Conn, H. W. (Herbert William)
Bacteria; Bacteriology
Arthrogenous spores (?).--Certain species of bacteria do not
produce spores as just described, but may give rise to bodies that
are sometimes called arthrospores. These bodies are formed as
short segments of rods. A long rod may sometimes break up into
several short rounded elements, which are clear and appear to have
a somewhat increased power of resisting adverse conditions. The
same may happen among the spherical forms, which only in rare
instances form endogenous spores. Among the spheres which form a
chain of streptococci some may occasionally be slightly different
from the rest. They are a little larger, and have been thought to
have an increased resisting power like that of true spores (Fig.
13 b). It is quite doubtful, however, whether it is proper to
regard these bodies as spores. There is no good evidence that they
have any special resisting power to heat like endogenous spores,
and bacteriologists in general are inclined to regard them simply
as resting cells. The term arthrospores has been given to them to
indicate that they are formed as joints or segments, and this term
may be a convenient one to retain although the bodies in question
are not true spores.
Still a different method of spore formation occurs in a few
peculiar bacteria. In this case (Fig. 14) the protoplasm in the
large thread breaks into many minute spherical bodies, which
finally find exit. The spores thus formed may not be all alike,
differences in size being noticed. This method of spore formation
occurs only in a few special forms of bacteria.
The matter of spore formation serves as one of the points for
distinguishing species. Some species do not form spores, at least
under any of the conditions in which they have been studied.
Others form them readily in almost any condition, and others again
only under special conditions which are adverse to their life. The
method of spore formation is always uniform for any single
species. Whatever be the method of the formation of the spore, its
purpose in the life of the bacterium is always the same. It serves
as a means of keeping the species alive under conditions of
adversity. Its power of resisting heat or drying enables it to
live where the ordinary active forms would be speedily killed.
Some of these spores are capable of resisting a heat of 180
degrees C. (360 degrees F.) for a short time, and boiling water
they can resist for a long time. Such spores when subsequently
placed under favourable conditions will germinate and start
bacterial activity anew.
MOTION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account