Germinosome

The germinosome is a cluster of germininant receptors and GerD that is localized as a single cluster in the spore inner membrane. It is necessary for the rapid and cooperative response to nutrients, since conditions known to block nutrient germination also disrupt the protein cluster. PubMed

Components of the germinosome

• GerAA-GerAB-GerAC
• GerBA-GerBB-GerBC
• GerKA-GerKB-GerKC
• GerD

• stoichiometry of the germinosome:
  • 2,500 germinant receptor complexes (1,100 A, 700 B, 700 K)
  • 3,500 GerD molecules

Related pages

• Germination

Labs working on the germinosome

• Peter Setlow, Farmington, Connecticut, USA, Homepage

Key publications

R M P Breedijk, J Wen, V Krishnaswami, T Bernas, E M M Manders, P Setlow, N O E Vischer, S Brul
A live-cell super-resolution technique demonstrated by imaging germinosomes in wild-type bacterial spores.
Sci Rep: 2020, 10(1);5312
[PubMed:32210351] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I e)

Anne Moir, Gareth Cooper
Spore Germination.
Microbiol Spectr: 2015, 3(6);
[PubMed:27337279] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Stephanie Luu, Jose Cruz-Mora, Barbara Setlow, Florence E Feeherry, Christopher J Doona, Peter Setlow
The effects of heat activation on Bacillus spore germination, with nutrients or under high pressure, with or without various germination proteins.
Appl Environ Microbiol: 2015, 81(8);2927-38
[PubMed:25681191] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Anthony J Troiano, Jingqiao Zhang, Ann E Cowan, Ji Yu, Peter Setlow
Analysis of the dynamics of a Bacillus subtilis spore germination protein complex during spore germination and outgrowth.
J Bacteriol: 2015, 197(2);252-61
[PubMed:25349160] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Kerry-Ann V Stewart, Peter Setlow
Numbers of individual nutrient germinant receptors and other germination proteins in spores of Bacillus subtilis.
J Bacteriol: 2013, 195(16);3575-82
[PubMed:23749970] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Xuan Yi, Jintao Liu, James R Faeder, Peter Setlow
Synergism between different germinant receptors in the germination of Bacillus subtilis spores.
J Bacteriol: 2011, 193(18);4664-71
[PubMed:21725007] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Keren K Griffiths, Jingqiao Zhang, Ann E Cowan, Ji Yu, Peter Setlow
Germination proteins in the inner membrane of dormant Bacillus subtilis spores colocalize in a discrete cluster.
Mol Microbiol: 2011, 81(4);1061-77
[PubMed:21696470] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)