Induction of latent freezing nucleus capability in an ice nucleation-active bacterium

The normally very low frequency of ice nucleation-active individuals in populations of Bacterium M1 could be raised as high as 100% by treatments having perturbation of cellular DNA metabolism as their common denominator. The process whereby inactive cells acquired efficient freezing nuclei after induction was shown to require ongoing synthesis of RNA and protein. It was probably also promoted by a rapid rate of DNA synthesis.