[The flotation characteristics of Bacillus cells and spores].

Abstract

Variations in hydrophobicity of the surface of bacillary cells and their capacity to flotation in the process of batch cultivation have been studied. It is shown that hydrophobicity of the cell surface increases in the course of batch cultivation of Bacillus thuringiensis, B. licheniformis and B. megaterium. Hydrophobicity of spores of the mentioned cultures is considerably higher than that of the vegetative cells. The increase of hydrophobicity of bacillary cells positively correlated with their capacity to flotation. That is why the use of flotation for the age fractionation of bacillary cells is possible: spores are concentrated in the foam while vegetative cells remain in the culture liquid.