Bacteria are one of the most unpretentious creatures in the world created by nature. And I must say, she tried, investing in these microorganisms an unrivaled margin of safety: the ability to survive in a wide variety of environmental conditions. They do not care about the wide range of temperature changes, and the acidic environment, they can live deep underground and under water, high in the sky, and even in space, in a vacuum. Moreover, in a disastrous environment, microorganisms do not die, but create a special form of their existence.
Bacteria spore
This is an adaptation to adverse conditions: changes in humidity, lack of nutrients, aging crops, temperature changes. A kind of "life insurance." Spores in bacteria serve to preserve the genus and are not an instrument or method of reproduction. Unlike mushrooms, where spores are also intended for these purposes. In this state, the bacterium can remain "mothballed" for many years. And then, when environmental conditions become favorable, the spores of bacteria serve to ensure that microorganisms can again form a culture.
Different kinds
In different bacteria, spores differ in both shape and location in the cell. So, for hay sticks, for example, they are located in the center and do not exceed the diameter. And the causative agent of tetanus is spherical in shape and located at the end (the diameter of the formation exceeding the diameter of the cell itself). But in any case, bacterial spores serve to “persist” in an unfavorable environment.
How are they formed?
In many microorganisms, spores can form intracellularly. They are called endospores. And the microbe that created the spore is called sporangia. In some bacteria, exospores and cysts can also form. In these cases, the microorganism itself is covered with a protective shell. It is known that metabolism is suspended in a dispute, and its chemical composition is different from the bacterium itself (there is practically no water in it).
How to get rid?
Modern scientific knowledge that bacterial spores serve to better preserve these microorganisms is taken into account in medicine and medical practice to improve the sterilization of instruments during operations. Spores that form the causative agents of infections can also get, for example, into a wound and cause infection. Therefore, to achieve sterility, it is necessary to get rid not only of the bacteria themselves, but also of spores. They do this with the help of special autoclaves, where high pressure and temperature are maintained.