[js1138]

Once the cell quits communicating, it is dead.

Or mostly dead. What about the spore form of bacteria?

[Alamo-Girl]

mostly dead

LOLOLOL! That reminds me of one of my favorite scenes from Princess Bride.

A spore is not dead, it is vegetative or dormant form which still has information and can communicate, e.g. once it has a food source.

Thanks for your post!

[AndrewC]

Or mostly dead. What about the spore form of bacteria?

Congratulations, you are the only one of your crowd to use your noggin. There are bacterial spores and cysts. Some bacterial spores were said to be revived after 250 million years. That result is suspect. Studies have been done as to the sturdiness of the spores with the aim to investigate them as the source of cosmic life(panspermia). It was found that they need some protection from UV radiation.