Bacterial spore compositions for industrial uses

Abstract

In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a plant or plant part coated with a composition comprising a bacterial spore and a germinative compound. In another aspect the present invention is directed to a method of enhancing the growth of a plant or plant part comprising coating such plant or plant part with such a composition. In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to a composition comprising a bacterial spore and a germinative compound where such components are maintained in an inactive form. The present invention also relates to use of the compositions in wastewater treatment, environmental remediation, oil recovery, aquaculture systems, and direct fed microbials.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of stimulating the immune system of an animal comprising administering to the animal a composition comprising a dried mixture comprising a bacterial spore and an L-amino acid, wherein the dried mixture is prepared by drying a solution comprising the L-amino acid and the bacterial spore, wherein the L-amino acid is adsorbed to or absorbed by the bacterial spore and binds to said bacterial spore's germination initiator sites when the mixture reaches an appropriate environment for germination. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bacterial spore in the dried mixture germinates more rapidly than a bacterial spore that is not dried with the L-amino acid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the L-amino acid is selected from the group consisting of L-alanine, L-valine, L-proline, L-leucine, L-cysteine, L-threonine, L-glutamine, L-asparagine, L-phenylalanine and analogues thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is in the form of a dry powder. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is in the form of an emulsion. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal is a companion animal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal is a human. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal is poultry. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal is a fish, mollusk or crustacean. 
     
     
         10 . The method  claim 1 , wherein the spore is selected from the group consisting of  B. alcalophilus, B. alvei, B. amyloliquefaciens, B. aneurinolyticus, B. aquaemaris, B. atrophaeus, B. boronophilus, B. brevis, B. caldolyyicus, B. centrosporus, B. cereus, B. circulan, B. clausii, B. coagulans, B. firmus, B. flavothermus, B. fusiformis, B. globigii, B. infernus, B larvae, B. laterosporus, B. lentus, B. lentimorbus, B. licheniformis, B. megaterium, B. mesentericus, B. mucilaginosus, B. mycoides, B. natto, B. pantothenicus, B. popilliae, B. polymyxa, B. pseudoanthracis, B. pumilus, B. schlegelii, B. simplex, B. sphaericus, B. sporothermodurans, B. stearothermophilus, B. subtilis, B. thermoglucosidasius, B. thuringiensis, B. vulgatis, B. weihenstephanensis, C. thermocellum, C. ljungdahlii, C. acetobutylicum, C. beijerinckii, C. butyricum.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the L-amino acid is selected from the group consisting of L-alanine, L-valine, L-proline, L-leucine, L-cysteine, L-threonine, L-glutamine, L-asparagine, L-phenylalanine and derivatives thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the L-amino acid is L-alanine. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is a mixture selected from the group consisting of L-alanine+ Bacillus subtilis , L-alanine+ Bacillus licheniformis , L-alanine+ Bacillus pumilus , L-alanine+ Bacillus amyloliquefaciens , L-alanine+ Bacillus coagulans , L-alanine+ Bacillus cereus , L-alanine+ Bacillus clausii , L-alanine+ Clostridium butyricum  L-valine+ Bacillus subtilis , L-valine+ Bacillus licheniformis , L-valine+ Bacillus pumilus , L-valine+ Bacillus amyloliquefaciens , L-valine+ Bacillus coagulans , L-valine+ Bacillus cereus , L-valine+ Bacillus clausii , L-valine+ Clostridium butyricum  L-alanine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Bacillus subtilis , L-alanine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Bacillus licheniformis , L-alanine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Bacillus pumilus , L-alanine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Bacillus amyloliquefaciens , L-alanine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Bacillus coagulans , L-alanine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Bacillus cereus , L-alanine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Bacillus clausii , L-alanine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Clostridium butyricum  L-asparagine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Bacillus subtilis , L-asparagine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Bacillus licheniformis , L-asparagine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Bacillus pumilus , L-asparagine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Bacillus amyloliquefaciens , L-asparagine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Bacillus coagulans , L-asparagine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Bacillus cereus , L-asparagine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Bacillus clausii , L-asparagine+glucose+fructose+potassium ions (GFK)+ Clostridium butyricum  L-alanine+inosine+ Bacillus subtilis , L-alanine+inosine+ Bacillus licheniformis , L-alanine+inosine+ Bacillus pumilus , L-alanine+inosine+ Bacillus amyloliquefaciens , L-alanine+inosine+ Bacillus coagulans , L-alanine+inosine+ Bacillus cereus , L-alanine+inosine+ Bacillus clausii , L-alanine+inosine+ Clostridium butyricum  L-proline+glucose+ Bacillus megaterium , L-proline+ Bacillus megaterium , and L-lactate+ Clostridium butyricum.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the L-amino acid is formulated, prior to drying, at concentrations of from 0.0003 mg/mL to 170 mg/mL.