<i>Bacillus</i> can be induced to sporulate through expression of a constitutively active allele of Spo0A (Spo0A*) if induced during stationary phase or grown in conditioned media.

<p>(A) A strain harboring P_hy-spank—<i>Spo0A*</i> (MF2146) was grown in CH at 37°C, induced by the addition of IPTG (200 μM) at the indicated optical densities, and grown for 2 hrs at 37°C before image capture. Membranes (white and red) were stained with FM4-64, and DNA (green) was stained with DAPI. (B) A strain harboring P_{<i>hy-spank</i>}-<i>Spo0A*</i> (MF2146) was grown in conditioned media obtained from PY79 as shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0144168#pone.0144168.g002" target="_blank">Fig 2A</a>. When indicated, Spo0A* was induced by the addition of IPTG (either 200 μM or 500 μM, as indicated, beginning OD₆₀₀ 0.04) and grown for 2 hrs at 37°C before image capture. Membranes were stained with TMA.