Screening of Different Media and Heat Shock Treatment Regimens for Enhancing Sporulation in Bacillus licheniformis

Bacillus licheniformis is a spore-producing bacteria. The present study aims to identify maximum sporulation in Bacillus licheniformis through induced heat shock conditions using different solidified media and broth media. Suspensions of Bacillus licheniformis spores were spread-plated on nutrient agar plates before and after heat shock treatments of 60°C, 80°C and 100°C for 30 minutes. The number of spores was determined by the dilution plate count method. The result indicates that the highest spore production for Bacillus licheniformis was observed when the spores were induced in AK (Arret and Kirshbaum) Agar for seven days under a heat shock treatment of 60℃ for 30 minutes. Whereas, in the case of Nutrient Broth media, the spore production was highest after four days at heat shock treatment of 80℃ for 30 minutes. This study will help find the optimal production of spores from Bacillus licheniformis, an industrially beneficial microorganism.