Spores were heat activated (80 C, 15 min), and
incubated (12 h) aerobically at 30 C in a filter sterilised (0.45-mm
syringe filter, Millipore) germinant solution comprising L-alanine
(100 mM), L-lactate (50 mM) and NaHCO3 (50 mM) in TriseHCl
buffer (20 mM, pH 7.4) (Sigma).