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The following is a quote from my Microbiology Lecture PPT: "Some gram positive bacteria but NEVER gram negative ones produce spores under harsh conditions".

It got me wondering why gram negative bacteria is "NEVER" involved in sporulation? At this level of which the argument has been presented, I deduce that the distinction should be in the cell-wall ultrastructure differences (gram positive vs gram negative). I do understand the ultra-structural differences between gram positive and gram negative bacteria but I cannot relate it to Sporulation, that is, how does the cell-wall ultrastructure of gram negative bacteria justify it being unable to Sporulate?

Before you mention it, yes I did approach my professor about it, and she, too, got interested to know about this and we are both on a quest to find an answer for such a seemingly interesting question.

Many thanks in advance!

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  • $\begingroup$ What do you mean by "justify"? $\endgroup$
    – Bryan Krause ♦
    Oct 25, 2022 at 17:57
  • $\begingroup$ Provides a scientifically plausible reasoning for why gram negative bacteria cannot sporulate with the reasoning being attributed to the cell wall ultra structural differences (vs. gram positive bacteria). Hope this helps. @BryanKrause $\endgroup$
    – Doe Pual
    Oct 25, 2022 at 18:26
  • $\begingroup$ Endospore formation is probably unique to a single phylum (Firmicutes) and requires something like 80 different genes. Non-Firmicutes spore-formers (just a handful of Actinobacteria that I'm aware of) use a substantially different mechanism resulting in different spore structures lacking certain components essential to endospore formation. Seems like a bit of a stretch to assume the cell wall structure is the primary limitation. $\endgroup$
    – MikeyC
    Oct 26, 2022 at 14:41

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