''Margalitia'' is a genus of

gram-positive In bacteriology, gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test, which is traditionally used to quickly classify bacteria into two broad categories according to their type of cell wall. Gram-positive bact ...

or gram-variable rod-shaped bacteria in the family ''

Bacillaceae The Bacillaceae are a family of gram-positive, heterotrophic, rod-shaped bacteria that may produce endospores. Motile members of this family are characterized by peritrichous flagella. Some Bacillaceae are aerobic, while others are facultative o ...

'' from the order ''

Bacillales The Bacillales are an order of Gram-positive bacteria, placed within the Bacillota. Representative genera include ''Bacillus'', ''Listeria'' and ''Staphylococcus ''Staphylococcus'' is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria in the family Staph ...

.'' The type species of this genus is ''Margalitia shackletonii.'' Members of ''Margalitia'' are previously species belonging to ''

Bacillus ''Bacillus'' (Latin "stick") is a genus of Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria, a member of the phylum '' Bacillota'', with 266 named species. The term is also used to describe the shape (rod) of other so-shaped bacteria; and the plural ''Bacill ...

'', a genus that has been recognized as displaying extensive polyphyly and phylogenetic heterogeneity due to the vague criteria (such as the ability to form endospores in the presence of oxygen) previously used to assign species to this clade. Multiple studies using comparative phylogenetic analyses have been published in an attempt to clarify the evolutionary relationships between ''Bacillus'' species, resulting in the establishment of numerous novel genera such as ''

Alkalihalobacillus ''Alkalihalobacillus'' is a genus of gram-positive or gram-variable rod-shaped bacteria in the family ''Bacillaceae'' from the order ''Bacillales''. The type species of this genus is '' Alkalihalobacillus alcalophilus.'' This genus comprises ...

'', ''

Brevibacillus ''Brevibacillus'' is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria in the family Paenibacillaceae The Paenibacillaceae are a family of Gram-positive In bacteriology, gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain tes ...

Solibacillus ''Solibacillus'' is a genus of Gram positive, rod shaped, spore-forming bacteria. The first member of ''Solibacillus'' was first isolated in 1999, and was originally called ''Bacillus silvestris''. However, further studies on ''B. silvestris'' ...

'', ''

Alicyclobacillus ''Alicyclobacillus'' is a genus of Gram-variable, rod-shaped, spore-forming bacteria. The bacteria are able to grow in acidic conditions, while the spores are able to survive typical pasteurization procedures. Overview ''Alicyclobacilli'' ar ...

,'' ''

Virgibacillus ''Virgibacillus'' is a genus of Gram-positive, rod-shaped ( bacillus) bacteria and a member of the phylum Bacillota. ''Virgibacillus'' species can be obligate aerobes (oxygen reliant), or facultative anaerobes and catalase enzyme Enzyme ...

'' and ''

Evansella ''Evansella'' is a genus of Gram-positive rod-shaped bacteria in the family ''Bacillaceae'' within the order ''Bacillales''. The type species for this genus is ''Evansella cellulosilytica.'' Members of ''Evansella'' was transferred from the genu ...

''. In addition, the genus ''Bacillus'' has been restricted to only include species closely related to ''

Bacillus subtilis ''Bacillus subtilis'', known also as the hay bacillus or grass bacillus, is a Gram-positive, catalase-positive bacterium, found in soil and the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants, humans and marine sponges. As a member of the genus ''Bacillus ...

'' and ''

Bacillus cereus ''Bacillus cereus'' is a Gram-positive rod-shaped bacterium commonly found in soil, food, and marine sponges. The specific name, ''cereus'', meaning "waxy" in Latin, refers to the appearance of colonies grown on blood agar. Some strains are har ...

.'' The name ''Margalitia'' was named to celebrate Professor Joel Margalit (1933-2011, Ben-Gurion University, Israel), and his discovery of the insecticide action of ''Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis,'' used for controlling mosquitoes and black flies.

Biochemical characteristics and molecular signatures

Members of this genus are

aerobic Aerobic means "requiring air," in which "air" usually means oxygen. Aerobic may also refer to * Aerobic exercise, prolonged exercise of moderate intensity * Aerobics, a form of aerobic exercise * Aerobic respiration, the aerobic process of cel ...

and found in diverse locations such as ripened Pu'er tea and volcanic soils. All members are motile, produce endospores and catalase-positive. ''Margalitia'' can survive in temperatures ranging from 20°C to 55°C, but optimal growth occurs in the range of 30-40°C. Two

conserved signature indels Conserved signature inserts and deletions (CSIs) in protein sequences provide an important category of molecular markers for understanding phylogenetic relationships. CSIs, brought about by rare genetic changes, provide useful phylogenetic markers ...

(CSIs) have been identified through genomic analysis as exclusive for this genus in the proteins histidine tRNA ligase and peptide chain release factor 3, which can be used as a molecular means to reliably demarcate this genus from other ''Bacillaceae'' genera and bacteria.

Taxonomy

''Margalitia'', as of May 2021, contains a total of 2 species with validly published names. This genus was identified as a monophyletic clade and phylogenetically unrelated to other ''Bacillus'' species in studies examining the taxonomic relationships within ''Bacillus''. This branching pattern is also observed in the

Genome Taxonomy Database The Genome Taxonomy Database (GTDB) is an online database that maintains information on a proposed nomenclature of prokaryotes, following a phylogenomic approach based on a set of conserved single-copy proteins. In addition to breaking up paraph ...

(GTDB).

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q107210936 Bacillaceae Bacteria genera