Carbon-13 (13C) labeling of Bacillus subtilis vegetative cells and spores: suitability for DNA stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) of spores in soils.

To test the suitability of DNA stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) for characterizing bacterial spore populations in soils, the properties of Bacillus subtilis cells and spores intensely labeled with [(13)C]glucose were characterized. Spore germination, vegetative growth rates, and sporulation efficiency were indistinguishable on glucose versus [(13)C]glucose, as were spore wet heat and UV resistance. Unlabeled and (13)C-labeled spores contained 1.0989 and 74.336 at.% (13)C, and exhibited wet densities of 1.356 and 1.365 g/ml, respectively. Chromosomal DNAs containing (12)C versus (13)C were readily separated by their different buoyant densities in cesium chloride/ethidium bromide gradients.