Rhizobium is a genus of Gram-negative soil bacteria that fix nitrogen. Rhizobium species form an endosymbiotic nitrogen-fixing association with roots of legumes and Parasponia.
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 and humans. 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. B. subtilis has historically been classified as an obligate aerobe, though evidence exists that it is a facultative anaerobe. B. subtilis is considered the best studied Gram-positive bacterium and a model organism to study bacterial chromosome replication and cell differentiation. It is one of the bacterial champions in secreted enzyme production and used on an industrial scale by biotechnology companies.
Bacillus amyloliquefaciens is a species of bacterium in the genus Bacillus that is the source of the BamHI restriction enzyme. It also synthesizes a natural antibiotic protein barnase, a widely studied ribonuclease that forms a famously tight complex with its intracellular inhibitor barstar, and plantazolicin, an antibiotic with selective activity against Bacillus anthracis.
A microbial fuel cell (MFC), or biological fuel cell, is a bio-electrochemical system that drives an electric current by using bacteria and mimicking bacterial interactions found in nature. MFCs can be grouped into two general categories: mediated and unmediated. The first MFCs, demonstrated in the early 20th century, used a mediator: a chemical that transfers electrons from the bacteria in the cell to the anode. Unmediated MFCs emerged in the 1970s; in this type of MFC the bacteria typically have electrochemically active redox proteins such as cytochromes on their outer membrane that can transfer electrons directly to the anode. In the 21st century MFCs started to find a commercial use in wastewater treatment.
Geobacillus stearothermophilus is a rod-shaped, Gram-positive bacterium and a member of the division Firmicutes. The bacterium is a thermophile and is widely distributed in soil, hot springs, ocean sediment, and is a cause of spoilage in food products. It will grow within a temperature range of 30-75 degrees Celsius. Some strains are capable of oxidizing carbon monoxide aerobically. It is commonly used as a challenge organism for sterilization validation studies and periodic check of sterilization cycles. The biological indicator contains spores of the organism on filter paper inside a vial. After sterilizing, the cap is closed, an ampule of growth medium inside of the vial is crushed and the whole vial is incubated. A color and/or turbidity change indicates the results of the sterilization process; no change indicates that the sterilization conditions were achieved, otherwise the growth of the spores indicates that the sterilization process has not been met. Recently a fluorescent-tagged strain, Rapid Readout(tm), is being used for verifying sterilization, since the visible blue fluorescence appears in about one-tenth the time needed for pH-indicator color change, and an inexpensive light sensor can detect the growing colonies.
Lysinibacillus sphaericus is a Gram-positive, mesophilic, rod-shaped bacterium commonly found on soil. It can form resistant endospores that are tolerant to high temperatures, chemicals and ultraviolet light and can remain viable for long periods of time. It is of particular interest to the World Health Organization due to the larvicide effect of some strains against two mosquitoes genera, more effective than Bacillus thuringiensis, frequently used as a biological pest control. It is ineffective against Aedes aegypti, an important vector of yellow fever and dengue viruses.
Lysostaphin is a Staphylococcus simulans metalloendopeptidase. It can function as an antimicrobial against Staphylococcus aureus.
Lactonase is a metalloenzyme, produced by certain species of bacteria, which targets and inactivates acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs).
Roberto Kolter is past president of the American Society for Microbiology, an author, and Professor Emeritus of microbiology at Harvard Medical School. Kolter has been at Harvard Medical School since 1983 and has been Co-director of Harvard's university-wide Microbial Sciences Initiative since 2003. In 2016, Kolter became co-blogger of the popular microbiology blog, Small Things Considered. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the American Academy of Microbiology.
Actinotalea is a genus in the phylum Actinobacteria (Bacteria). As of 2015 the genus contains a four described species, namely A. fermentans, formerly known as Cellulomonas fermentans.
Gracilibacillus is a genus of bacteria within the phylum Firmicutes. Species within this genus are generally halotolerant.
Virgibacillus is a genus of Gram-positive, rod-shaped (bacillus) bacteria and a member of the phylum Firmicutes. Virgibacillus species can be obligate aerobes, or facultative anaerobes and catalase enzyme positive. Under stressful environmental conditions, the bacteria can produce oval or ellipsoidal endospores in terminal, or sometimes subterminal, swollen sporangia. The genus was recently reclassified from the genus Bacillus in 1998 following an analysis of the species V. pantothenticus. Subsequently, a number of new species have been discovered or reclassified as Virgibacillus species.
Bacillus aerius is a species of bacteria first isolated from cryogenic tubes used for collecting air samples from high altitudes, hence its name. Its type strain is 24KT.
Bacillus aerophilus is a species of bacteria first isolated from cryogenic tubes used for collecting air samples from high altitudes, hence its name. Its type strain is 28KT.
Bacillus altitudinis is a species of bacteria first isolated from cryogenic tubes used for collecting air samples from high altitudes, hence its name. Its type strain is 41KF2bT.
Fictibacillus macauensis is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped and spore-forming bacterium from the genus of Fictibacillus which has been isolated from a drinking water supply from Macau in China.
Fictibacillus nanhaiensis is a Gram-positive, aerobic, slightly halophilic, facultatively alkaliphilic, rod-shaped, spore-forming snd motile bacterium from the genus of Fictibacillus which has been isolated from a oyster from the Naozhou Island in China.
Fictibacillus solisalsi is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, halotolerant, alkaliphilic and motile bacterium from the genus of Fictibacillus which has been isolated from saline soil from Shanxi in China.
Diaphorobacter is a genus of bacteria from the family of Comamonadaceae.
