Editing Endospore (section)

==Importance==

As a simplified model for [[cellular differentiation]], the molecular details of endospore formation have been extensively studied, specifically in the [[model organism]] ''[[Bacillus subtilis]]''.  These studies have contributed much to our understanding of the regulation of [[gene expression]], [[transcription factor]]s, and the [[sigma factor]] subunits of [[RNA polymerase]].

Endospores of the bacterium ''[[Bacillus anthracis]]'' were used in the [[2001 anthrax attacks]]. The powder found in contaminated postal letters consisted of anthrax endospores. This intentional distribution led to 22 known cases of anthrax (11 inhalation and 11 cutaneous).  The case fatality rate among those patients with inhalation anthrax was 45% (5/11).  The six other individuals with inhalation anthrax and all the individuals with cutaneous anthrax recovered. Had it not been for antibiotic therapy, this number would likely have been higher.<ref name=Pommerville/>

Sporulation requires the presence of free oxygen. In the natural situation, this means the vegetative cycles occur within the low oxygen environment of the infected host and, within the host, the organism is exclusively in the vegetative form. Once outside the host, sporulation commences upon exposure to the air and the spore forms are essentially the exclusive phase in the environment.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/anthrax_webs.pdf | title=Anthrax in humans and animals | publisher=OIE | isbn=978-92-4-154753-6 | edition=4th | year=2008 | access-date=2013-08-22 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023232424/http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/anthrax_webs.pdf | archive-date=2012-10-23 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/fr/Health_standards/tahm/2.01.01_ANTHRAX.pdf | title=OIE Listed Diseases and Other Diseases of Importance | work=Terrestrial Manual | date=2012 | access-date=June 18, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812180308/http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/fr/Health_standards/tahm/2.01.01_ANTHRAX.pdf | archive-date=August 12, 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Biotechnology===
''Bacillus subtilis'' spores are useful for the expression of recombinant proteins and in particular for the surface display of peptides and proteins as a tool for fundamental and applied research in the fields of microbiology, biotechnology and vaccination.<ref name= Abel-SantosE>{{cite book | editor= Abel-Santos, E | year=2012 | title=Bacterial Spores: Current Research and Applications | publisher=[[Caister Academic Press]] | isbn= 978-1-908230-00-3}}</ref>