Sporulation

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Sporulation is the developmental process by which a fungal cell, amoeba, bacteria or protozoan becomes a spore. It is sometimes taken to include release of spores into the environment.

Sporulation can be triggered by adverse conditions, or as part of asexual reproduction.

The bacterium Bacillus subtilis and the fungus Neurospora crassa (red bread mold) are commonly used as laboratory organisms to study sporulation.

The process of sporulation of bacteria is as follows: 1.) Spore septum begins to isolate newly replicated DNA and a small portion of cytoplasm; 2.) Plasma membrane starts to surround DNA, cytoplasm, and membrane isolated in step 1; 3.) Spore septum surrounds isolated portion, forming forespore; 4.) Peptidoglycan layer forms between membranes; 5.) Spore coat forms; 6.) Endospore is freed from cell.

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