What is bacillus?
The word bacilli is used to describe both an entire class of bacteria, as well as a type of rod-shaped bacterium with the plural of the word being bacillus. When used as the name of a class of bacteria, this includes the two orders: Bacillales and Lactobacillales.Bacteria in the class Bacilli, including the orders Bacillales and Lactobacillales, create endospores. These are dormant forms of the bacteria that can withstand harsh environments including heat, cold, chemicals, and lack of oxygen. Once the conditions return to favorable ones for the bacteria, they come out of their dormant endospore state.
Classification Based on Cell Shape
In 1877 German botanist Ferdinand Cohn provided an authoritative description of two different forms of hay bacillus (now known as B. subtilis). In fact, the species are rod-shaped, endospore-forming aerobic or facultatively anaerobic, Gram-positive bacteria; in some species cultures may turn Gram-negative with age.
Unique Role in Our Well-Being
There are many different types of Bacillus bacteria that function in different ways. They are found in the environment in the soil, ocean, and even in human bodies. These bacteria play important roles in the environment as well as the human body, in which they aid in digestion and immune health. Humans have also capitalized off Bacillus bacteria by using different species to make wine, cheese, yogurt, beer, and even cocoa. In particular, the class Lactobacillales is used to make yogurt.
B. subtilis is considered an essential industrial bacterium as it is widely used in biotechnology due to the improved expression and secretion of enzymes by the bacteria. Besides, it is also used in food industries as flavor enhancers, sweeteners, and animal feed.