Bacillus 4751 225364742 2008-07-13T08:41:23Z Rjwilmsi 203434 gen fixes + link/fix date fields in cite templates (explanation [[User:Rjwilmsi#My_correction_of_dates_in_templates|here]]) using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] {{Taxobox | color = lightgray | name = ''Bacillus'' | image = Bacillus subtilis Gram.jpg | image_width = 220px | image_caption = ''[[Bacillus subtilis]]'', Gram stained | regnum = [[Bacterium|Bacteria]] | divisio = [[Firmicutes]] | classis = [[Bacilli]] | ordo = [[Bacillales]] | familia = [[Bacillaceae]] | genus = '''''Bacillus''''' | genus_authority = Cohn 1872 | subdivision_ranks = [[Species]] | subdivision = Numerous, including:<br/> ''[[Bacillus anthracis]]''<br> ''[[Bacillus cereus]]''<br> ''[[Bacillus coagulans]]''<br> ''[[Bacillus globigii]]''<br> ''[[Bacillus licheniformis]]''<br> ''[[Bacillus megaterium]]''<br> ''[[Bacillus natto]]''<br> ''[[Bacillus subtilis]]''<br> ''[[Bacillus sphaericus]]''<br> ''[[Bacillus thuringiensis]]''<br> }} :''This page is about the bacterial genus. For the class, see [[Bacilli]]''. :''For rod-shaped bacteria in general, see [[Bacteria#Morphology|Bacteria]]''. :''For the [[stick insect]] genus, see [[Bacillus (insect)]]''. '''''Bacillus''''' is a [[genus]] of rod-shaped, beta-hemolytic [[Gram-positive]] [[bacterium|bacteria]] and a member of the division [[Firmicutes]]. ''Bacillus'' species are either obligate or facultative [[aerobe]]s, and test positive for the [[enzyme]] [[catalase]].<ref name=Baron>{{cite book | author = Turnbull PCB | title = Bacillus. ''In:'' Barron's Medical Microbiology ''(Baron S ''et al'', eds.)| edition = 4th ed. | publisher = Univ of Texas Medical Branch | year = 1996 | url = http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=mmed.section.925 | isbn = 0-9631172-1-1 }}</ref> Ubiquitous in nature, ''Bacillus'' includes both free-living and pathogenic species. Under stressful environmental conditions, the cells produce oval [[endospore]]s that can stay dormant for extended periods. These characteristics originally defined the genus, but not all such species are closely related, and many have been moved to other genera.<ref name=Brock>{{cite book | author = Madigan M; Martinko J (editors). | title = Brock Biology of Microorganisms | edition = 11th ed. | publisher = Prentice Hall | year = 2005 | id = ISBN 0-13-144329-1 }}</ref> ''[[Bacillus subtilis]]'' is one of the best understood prokaryotes in terms of molecular biology and cell biology. Its superb genetic amenability and relatively large size have provided the powerful tools required to investigate a bacterium from all possible aspects. Recent improvements in fluorescence microscopy techniques have provided novel and amazing insight into the dynamic structure of a single cell organism. Research on ''[[Bacillus subtilis]]'' has been at the forefront of bacterial molecular biology and cytology, and the organism is a model for differentiation, gene/protein regulation, and cell cycle events in bacteria. <ref name=Graumann>{{cite book | author = Graumann P (editor). | title = Bacillus: Cellular and Molecular Biology | edition = 1st ed. | publisher = Caister Academic Press | year = 2007 | url=http://www.horizonpress.com/bac | id = [http://www.horizonpress.com/bac ISBN 978-1-904455-12-7 ]}}</ref> Two ''Bacillus'' species are considered medically significant: ''[[Bacillus anthracis|B. anthracis]]'', which causes [[anthrax]], and ''[[Bacillus cereus|B. cereus]]'', which causes a [[foodborne illness]] similar to that of ''[[Staphylococcus]]''.<ref name=Sherris>{{cite book | author = Ryan KJ; Ray CG (editors) | title = Sherris Medical Microbiology | edition = 4th ed. | publisher = McGraw Hill | year = 2004 | id = ISBN 0-8385-8529-9 }}</ref> A third species, ''[[B. thuringiensis]]'', is an important [[insect]] pathogen, and is sometimes used to control insect pests. The [[type species]] is ''[[Bacillus subtilis|B. subtilis]]'', an important [[model organism]]. It is also a notable food spoiler, causing ropiness in bread and related food. ''[[Bacillus coagulans|B. coagulans]]'' is also important in food spoilage. An easy way to isolate ''Bacillus'' is by placing non-sterile soil in a [[test tube]] with water, shaking, placing in melted Mannitol Salt Agar, and incubating at room temperature for at least a day. Colonies are usually large, spreading and irregularly-shaped. Under the microscope, the ''Bacillus'' appear as rods, and a substantial portion usually contain an oval [[endospore]] at one end, making it bulge. ==The cell wall== The cell wall of ''Bacillus'' is a structure on the outside of the cell that forms the second barrier between the bacterium and the environment, and at the same time maintains triangle shape and withstands the pressure generated by the cell's turgor. The cell wall is composed of salt, teichoic and teichuronic acids. ''B. subtilis'' is the first bacterium for which the role of an actin-like cytoskeleton in cell shape determination and peptidoglycan synthesis was identified and for which the entire set of peptidoglycan synthesizing enzymes was localised. The role of the cytoskeleton in shape generation and maintenance is important <ref name=Scheffers>{{cite book |chapterurl=http://www.horizonpress.com/bac |author=Scheffers DJ|chapter=The Cell Wall of Bacillus subtilis | title = Bacillus: Cellular and Molecular Biology ''(Graumann P, ed.)| publisher = Caister Academic Press | year = 2007 | id = [http://www.horizonpress.com/bac ISBN 978-1-904455-12-7 ]}}</ref>. ==Word ambiguity== Although ''Bacillus'', capitalized and [[Italics|italicized]], specifically refers to the genus, the word 'bacillus' may also be used to describe any rod-shaped bacterium, and in this sense, bacilli are found in many different taxonomic groups of bacteria. Likewise, ''[[Bacilli]]'' refers to the particular class ''Bacillus'' belongs to, while bacilli are any rod-shaped bacteria. It should be noted that the cell morphology term ''bacillus'' does not necessarily indicate [[Gram-positive]] staining, as ''[[E. coli]]'' is a [[Gram-negative]], rod-shaped bacteria. == See also == * ''[[Paenibacillus]]'', a genus of bacteria that was formerly included in ''Bacillus'' ==External links== * [http://pathema.jcvi.org/cgi-bin/Bacillus/PathemaHomePage.cgi Pathema-''Bacillus'' Resource] ==References== <!-- --------------------------------------------------------------- See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for a discussion of different citation methods and how to generate footnotes using the <ref> & </ref> tags and the {{Reflist}} template -------------------------------------------------------------------- --> {{Reflist|2}} {{Bacteria}} [[Category:Bacteria]] [[Category:Bacillaceae|*]] [[Category:Firmicutes]] [[Category:Microbiology]] [[cs:Bacillus]] [[de:Bazillus]] [[es:Bacilo]] [[eo:Bacilo]] [[eu:Bacillus]] [[fr:Bacillus]] [[it:Bacillus (batteri)]] [[he:Bacillus]] [[ja:バシラス属]] [[no:Basiller]] [[pl:Laseczka]] [[pt:Bacilo]] [[ru:Бациллы]] [[simple:Bacillus]] [[sl:Bacillus]] [[sv:Bacill]] [[vi:Trực khuẩn]] [[tr:Bacillus]] [[uk:Bacillus]] [[yi:באצילן]] [[zh:芽孢桿菌屬]]