Abstract
The entire absorbance vs. time curve of a sample of germinating bacterial
spores can be accurately described by a model which considers that the
spores rate of entry into the phase initiation of germination is determined
by transitions between three spore states. The first of these transitions
is easily identified with the triggering event, while the existence of the
intermidiate state, and its identification with the triggered spore, can be
established from theoretical as well as experimental considerations. The
observed sample lag time is seen to arise from the position of the measured
event in the single spore in the sequence of indices of germination.
Consideration that the single spore may effect the measured change in a
complex way over a finite interval of time leads to a mathematical
formulation of our model which can describe the germination process
whatever the endpoint chosen for its observation.
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