Kinetics of Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus cereus spore germination in soil and the C. elegans intestine

Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus cereus are both described as soil bacteria, but are almost exclusively found as spores within the soil. Soil is generally not a nutrient-rich environment and may lack the amino acids and nucleosides necessary for spore germination and vegetative reproduction. We aim to determine if soil alone can cause germination in these two species in order to produce vegetative cells that can reproduce. In addition, nematodes, decaying meat, maggots, and plant roots will be tested for their ability to cause germination in these species