Bacillus subtilis

Catalase-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis TEM micrograph of a B. subtilis cell in cross-section (scale bar = 200 nm) Scientific classification Domain: Bacteria Kingdom: Bacillati Phylum: Bacillota Class: Bacilli Order: Caryophanales Family: Bacillaceae Genus: Bacillus Species: B. subtilis Binomial name Bacillus subtilis(Ehrenberg 1835)Cohn 1872 Synonyms Vibrio subtilis Ehrenberg 1835 Until 2008, Bacillus globigii was thought to be B. subtilis but is since formally recognized as Bacillus atrophaeus. 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. Bacillus subtilis is motile and amylase-positive. It forms biofilms through the formation of extracellular polymeric matrix containing sugars and proteins. As a member of the genus Bacillus, B. subtilis is rod-shaped and can form a tough, protective endospore, allowing it to tolerate extreme environmental conditions. It historically has been classified as an obligate aerobe, though evidence exists that it is a facultative anaerobe. B. subtilis is considered the best-studied Gram-pos