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 aerobe.
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.