Bacillus
genus of bacteria
Bacillus is a genus of rod shaped bacteria. They are Gram-positive, meaning they have an extra outside cell layer.
| Bacillus | |
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| Bacillus subtilis, Gram stained | |
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| Genus: | Bacillus Cohn, 1872
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Bacilli are partly or wholly aerobic. They do aerobic respiration. They are every where in nature. Bacillus includes both free-living (non-parasitic) and parasitic pathogenic species.[1]
Under stressful conditions, they produce endospores. These are not true spores, but like survival pods they can stay in a dormant state for long periods.
Some species of Bacillus are worth noting:
- Bacillus anthracis, which causes Anthrax.
- Bacillus subtilis is considered an model organism. It is often used in genetic engineering.[2]
- Bacillus cereus which is responsible for a form of food poisoning.
- Bacillus thuringensis which is used in pest control. It produces a toxin which can kill some moths, and certain butterflies.
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Bacillus antracis -
Bacillus subtilis -
Bacillus cereus
Related pages
changeReferences
change- ↑ Turnbull P.C.B. 1996. Bacillus. In: Baron S. et al (eds) Barron's medical microbiology. 4th ed, Univ of Texas Medical Branch. ISBN 978-0-9631172-1-2 [1]
- ↑ Graumann P (ed) 2012. Bacillus: cellular and molecular biology. 2nd ed, Caister Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-904455-97-4 [2]