Bacillus
| Bacillus | |
|---|---|
| Bacillus subtilis, Gram stained | |
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| Family: | Bacillaceae
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| Genus: | Bacillus Cohn, 1872
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Bacillus is a genus of rod shaped bacteria. They are Gram-positive, meaning they have an extra outside cell layer.
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
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Bacillus subtilis
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Bacillus cereus