Protein synthesis during outgrowth of Bacillus subtilis spores. A two-dimensional gel electrophoresis study

Abstract To know if significant disulfide reduction was an important event during Streptomyces spore germination, the thiol-disulfide ratio was studied. Sulfhydryl and disulfide levels were determined by the quenching reactionof the fluorescence of fluorescein mercuric acetate. In the first 2 h of germination (darkening of spores), no significant changes in both levels were found. During spore swelling, the sulfhydryl content increased, whereas the disulfide content decreased. This increase in sulfhydryl groups was mainly occurring (93%) in the spore soluble fraction. Our data allowed us to discard the possibility of a major change in the thiol-disulfide ratio during initiation of Streptomyces spore germination.