Which of the following is a characteristic unique to bacterial endospores, and not found in vegetative cells?

• A. Susceptibility to heat and chemicals
• B. Active metabolism and growth
• C. Presence of dipicolinic acid in the core
• D. Ability to undergo binary fission

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the difference between bacterial endospores and vegetative cells: vegetative cells are metabolically active and growing, while endospores are dormant and highly resistant structures formed under stress.
2. Review the options given and identify which characteristics are typical of vegetative cells versus endospores. For example, active metabolism and growth are features of vegetative cells, not endospores.
3. Recognize that susceptibility to heat and chemicals is generally higher in vegetative cells, whereas endospores are resistant to these factors due to their specialized structure.
4. Focus on the unique chemical components of endospores, such as dipicolinic acid, which is found in the core of endospores and contributes to their heat resistance; this compound is absent in vegetative cells.
5. Confirm that the ability to undergo binary fission is a characteristic of vegetative cells, not endospores, since endospores are dormant and do not divide until they germinate back into vegetative cells.