Conditions for production of initiation protein for germination of Clostridium perfringens spores.

The amount of initiation protein (IP) produced by Clostridium perfringens was increased by approximately one-third by modification of Duncan-Strong sporulation medium to include 0.5% glucose, 2% proteose peptone, and 2% sodium phosphate. IP but no spores were produced by the wild type when grown at 46 degrees C and by a mutant blocked at stage 0 of sporulation. IP appears to be a vegetative cell product, perhaps an overproduced autolysin or pathogenicity factor.