Question

Why do bacteria produce spores?

Answer 1

Hint: Bacteria are prokaryotic and basically unicellular organisms. They lack a nucleus, instead a naked double stranded DNA lies coiled inside the cytoplasm and called a nuclear body. Their cell wall is made up of non-cellulosic material, peptidoglycan also called as murein.
Bacteria reproduce by three methods – Binary Fission, sporulation, sexual reproduction.

Complete answer:
Sporulation is a process that forms asleep and inactive forms of bacteria. It can provide a multilayered structure with a long time of maintenance. Spores can preserve the genetic material of bacteria when the conditions are harsh and difficult which are not favourable for the normal form of bacteria.
Bacteria produce several types of spores for reproduction –
Endospores – They are thick-walled, highly resistant spores produced within the bacterial cells in response to adverse environment or presence of harmful waste products. They are formed by some gram positive bacillus bacteria. They are resistant to both high and low temperatures. They can withstand heating at 100ᵒC for several hours. Exposure to low temperature, i.e., upto - 100ᵒC has no adverse effect on them. They can tolerate drought and toxic chemicals and the remarkable resistance of endospores is due to their thick wall, low water content, and the pressure of an anticoagulant chemical known as dipicolinic acid.
Other types of spores produced in some bacteria for their multiplication are – sporangiospores, arthrospores (oidia), conidia, gonidia (swarm cells) and cysts.

Note-
For protecting the bacterium from dryness, heat and intense radiation, spores are designed. Due to their hardness they hold an advantage over seeds and different types of reproduction. They have a capability to survive in an extreme temperature and pressure and without water.