Effect of sublethal heat treatment on the later stage of germination-to-outgrowth of Clostridium perfringens spores

Abstract

Sublethal heating of spores has long been known to stimulate or activate germination; however, the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood. In this study, the entire germination-to-outgrowth process of spores from Clostridium perfringens, an anaerobic sporeformer, was visualized at single-cell resolution. Quantitative analysis revealed that sublethal heating significantly reduces the time from completion of germination to the beginning of the first cell division, indicating that sublethal heating of C. perfringens spores not only sensitizes the responsiveness of germinant receptors but also directly or indirectly facilitates multiple steps during the bacterial regrowth process.