Difference Between Spore Forming Bacteria and Non Spore Forming Bacteria

The main difference between spore forming bacteria and non spore forming bacteria is that the spore-forming bacteria produce highly resistant, dormant structures called spores in response to adverse environmental conditions whereas the non-spore-forming bacteria do not produce any type of dormant structures. Furthermore, spore-forming bacteria are highly pathogenic while non-spore-forming bacteria are not generally pathogenic. 

Spore-forming and non-spore-forming bacteria are two types of bacteria classified based on the ability to form spores. Spore-forming bacteria include some species of Bacillus and Clostridium while some non-spore-forming bacteria belong to the families Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonidaceae.  

Key Areas Covered 

1. What are Spore Forming Bacteria
     – Definition, Facts, Examples
2. What are Non Spore Forming Bacteria
     – Definition, Facts, Examples
3. What are the Similarities Between Spore Forming Bacteria and Non Spore Forming Bacteria
     – Outline of Common Features
4. What is the Difference Between Spore Forming Bacteria and Non Spore Forming Bacteria
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms 

Bacillus, Clostridium, Non Spore Forming Bacteria, Spore Forming Bacteria, Spores

What are Spore Forming Bacteria 

Spore-forming bacteria are a group of bacteria that can produce spores in response to unfavorable conditions such as extreme temperatures, desiccation, high UV irradiation, and enzymatic destruction. Some genera of Bacillus, Clostridium and Sporolactobacillus form spores. A spore is a structure surrounded by durable protein coats. Bacterial spores are resistant to sterilization, pasteurization, and antimicrobial treatments. When revived, these bacteria can cause a number of diseases such as acute food poisoning, botulism, anthrax, and tetanus. 

• Bacillus is an aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium. Some Bacillus species that form spores are Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus clausii and Bacillus halodenitrificans. 

  Figure 1: Bacillus subtilis Spore Staining
  (green) Spores, (red) Vegetatives

• Clostridium is a bottle-shaped bacterium and some Clostridium that form spores are Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium tetani and Clostridium sordellii.  
• Sporolactobacillus is a lactic acid bacterial genus and some spore-forming Sporolactobacillus are Sporolactobacillus dextrus, Sporolactobacillus inulinus, Sporolactobacillus laevis, sporolactobacillus terrae and Sporolactobacillus vineae.

What are Non Spore Forming Bacteria 

Non-spore-forming bacteria are a group of bacteria that do not produce spores. Generally, they are non-pathogenic bacteria and they live in the intestine of animals and insects. However, under stress conditions such as unusually high temperatures, poor food quality, crowding, and mechanical injury, they enter the tissues of the intestine and become pathogenic. This means that non-spore-forming bacteria are not active invaders. Most non-spore-forming bacteria belong to the family Enterobacteriaceae or Pseudomonidaceae.  

Figure 2: E. coli (Family Enterobacteriaceae)

Similarities Between Spore Forming Bacteria and Non Spore Forming Bacteria 

• Spore-forming bacteria and non-spore-forming bacteria are two groups of bacteria classified based on the ability to form spores. 
• Both can be pathogenic under certain conditions. 

Difference Between Spore Forming Bacteria and Non Spore Forming Bacteria 

Definition 

Spore-forming bacteria refer to bacteria that form spores under unfavorable conditions while non-spore-forming bacteria refer to bacteria that do not form spores. 

Consistency 

Most spore-forming bacteria are tough while most non-spore-forming bacteria do not have tough walls. 

Gram-Positive or -Negative 

Most spore-forming bacteria are Gram-Positive while most non-spore-forming bacteria are Gram-Negative. 

Pathogenicity 

Spore-forming bacteria are generally pathogenic while non-spore-forming bacteria are not generally pathogenic. 

Examples 

Some species of Bacillus, Clostridium, and Sporolactobacillus are spore-forming bacteria while most non-spore-forming bacteria belong to the families Enterobacteriaceae or Pseudomonidaceae.  

Conclusion 

Spore-forming bacteria are mainly Bacillus and Clostridium that form spores under unfavorable conditions. They are pathogenic due to the formation of spores. Non-spore-forming bacteria are not pathogenic in general due to the absence of spores. The main difference between spore forming and non spore forming bacteria is the ability to form spores and other characteristics. 

Reference:

1. Gilani, Natasha. “Types of Spore Forming Bacteria.” Sciencing, 10 Mar. 2018, Available Here
2. “Nonsporebacteria.” Illinois Natural History Survey, Available Here

Image Courtesy:

1. “Bacillus subtilis Spore” By Y tambe (original uploader) – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “E coli at 10000x, original” By Photo by Eric Erbe, digital colorization by Christopher Pooley, both of USDA, ARS, EMU. – This image was released by the Agricultural Research Service, the research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, with the ID K11077-1 (next). (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia

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