Bacillus subtilis

Bacteria
General | Carbohydrate O/F | Substrate utilisation | Enzymes | Metabolites | Antibiotics

Overview

  • Bacillus subtilis is a Gram-positive, spore-forming, aerobic, motile, rod-shaped bacterium. It has been detected in at least 10 gut microbiome compilation studies or metastudies. The DNA G+C content is 42.9-43.1%. Bacillus subtilis is probably a common, although minor, coloniser of the gut. (Logan2011Bergey; Terekhov2018)



  • This organism has been recovered from human faeces (CCUG) and clinical sources (blood, wound - CCUG). The risk classification (www.baua.de) for this organism is 1, i.e., low risk of infection and spread (notes: opportunistic in immunocompromised patients). Is a rare opportunistic pathogen. Is a known gut commensal. Robust growth can have positive consequences for gut health.
    • QUIRKS
  • May be able to persist in the gut, albeit in low numbers, by residing in niches close to epithelial cells (Ilinskaya2017).
    • GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS (Logan2011Bergey);
    Character Response
  • Substrates hydrolysed or digested:
  • aesculin; casein; gelatin; pectin; starch;
  • 🧂
  • Salt tolerance:
  • tolerates 2.0% salt; tolerates 7.0, 10(d)% salt;
  • pH
  • Acidity tolerance:
  • tolerates pH 6.0-8.0;
  • 🌡
  • Temperature tolerance:
  • strain-variable at 0-10(d); grows at 20℃; grows at 40℃; doesn't grow at 55(d), 60℃;
  • H+
  • Acid from carbohydrates usually produced:
  • L-arabinose; fructose; glucose; mannose; ribose; amygdalin; glycogen; inulin; starch; cellubiose; gentiobiose; maltose; melibiose; raffinose; sucrose; trehalose; mannitol; sorbitol; arbutin; N-Ac glucosamine; salicin;
  • ±
  • Strain-dependent acid from carbs:
  • glycerol; inositol;
  • ⥅
  • Substrates assimilated or utilised:
  • citrate;
  • ±
  • Strain-dependent substrate utilisation:
  • melibiose;
  • Active enzymes:
  • D-alanine peptidase; alkaline phosphatase; catalase; β-galactosidase; α-glucosidase; pyrrolidine arylamidase;
    • SPECIAL FEATURES (Logan2011Bergey);
    Character Response
  • ✗
  • Metabolites not produced:
  • H₂S; indole;
  • ✓
  • VP test:
  • active
  • ✓
  • Nitrate:
  • reduced
  • ✓
  • Nitrite:
  • reduced
  • ✓
  • NO3➔NO2:
  • reduced
    • RESPONSE TO ANTIBIOTICS (Adimpong2012); (Andrews2002); (Coonrod1971); (Reva1995);
    Class Active Resistant
  • Penicillins:
  • amoxicillin; amoxicillin-clavulanic acid; ampicillin; benzylpenicillin; carbenicillin; methicillin;
  • penicillin G;
  • Cephalosporins:
  • cefalexin; cefazolin; cefprozil; cephalothin;
  • cefepime; cefotaxime; ceftazidime;
  • Macrolides:
  • clarithromycin; erythromycin;
  • Tetracyclines:
  • doxycycline; tetracycline;
  • oxytetracycline;
  • Quinolines:
  • ciprofloxacin; enoxacin; nalidixic-acid; norfloxacin;
  • Aminoglycosides:
  • gentamicin; kanamycin; neomycin;
  • amikacin; streptomycin;
  • Polypep/ketides:
  • rifampicin;
  • gramicidin;
  • Heterocycles:
  • chloramphenicol; nitrofurantoin;
  • metronidazole;
  • Vancomycins:
  • vancomycin;
  • teicoplanin;
  • Miscellaneous antibiotics:
  • clindamycin;
  • lincomycin; colistin; novobiocin; polymyxin B; vibriostatin A 0 129;

  • Batchelor, M. D. (1919). Aerobic spore-bearing bacteria in the intestinal tract of children. Journal of Bacteriology, 4(1), 23-34.15.

    • Details

    GENERAL
    Lineage Physiology General Growth Tolerances Hydrol./digest./degr.
    Phylum:  Firmicutes Class:  Bacilli Order:  Bacillales Family:  Bacillaceae Genus:  Bacillus Gram stain:  + O2 Relation.:  aerobic Spore:  Endospore Motility:  Swimming Morphology:  Rod
    Health:   Positive
    Source:  human faeces (CCUG) and clinical sources (blood, wound - CCUG)
    DNA G+C(%):  42.9-43.1
    Low T(℃):  0-10(d)
    Lower T(℃):  20(+)
    Mid T(℃):  40(+)
    High T(℃):  55(d), 60(neg)
    NaCl 0.5-2%:  2.0(+)
    NaCl >6%:  7.0(+), 10(d)
    pH 6.0-8.0:  6.0-8.0(+)
    		Aesculin:  + Urea:  neg Gelatin:  + Starch:  + Casein:  + Tyrosine:  neg Pectin:  + Tween:  80(w)
    CARBOHYDRATE ACID FORMATION
    Monosaccharide O/F Oligosaccharide O/F Polysaccharide O/F Polyol O/F Other O/F
    Arabinose:  neg D-Arabinose:  neg L-Arabinose:  + Fructose:  + Fucose:  neg D-Fucose:  neg Galactose:  neg Glucose:  + Mannose:  + Rhamnose:  neg Ribose:  + Sorbose:  neg D-Tagatose:  neg Xylose:  vr L-Xylose:  neg Cellubiose:  + Gentiobiose:  + Lactose:  neg Maltose:  + Melezitose:  neg Melibiose:  d(+) Sucrose:  + Trehalose:  + Turanose:  neg Amygdalin:  + Glycogen:  + Inulin:  d(+) Starch:  + Adonitol:  neg D-Arabitol:  neg L-Arabitol:  neg Dulcitol:  neg Erythritol:  neg Glycerol:  d(w) Inositol:  d(w) Mannitol:  + Sorbitol:  w(+) Xylitol:  neg Arbutin:  + Gluconate:  neg 2-Ketogluconate:  neg 5-Ketogluconate:  neg Me-α-D-Glc:  vr Me-α-D-Mann:  neg Me-Xyloside:  neg NAc-α-GA:  d(+) Salicin:  +
    SUBSTRATE ASSIMILATION & UTILISATION
    Monosaccharide util/assim Oligosaccharide util/assim Other carboh. util/assim Amino acid util/assim Organic acid util/assim
    Melibiose:  d(w) Citrate:  + Propionate:  neg
    ENZYME ACTIVITY
    Enzymes: General Enzymes: Carbohydrate Enzymes: Protein Enzymes: Arylamidases Enzymes: Esters/fats
    Oxidase:  vr Catalase:  + Ac-β-glcamnd:  neg β-Galactosidase:  + α-Glucosidase:  + β-Glucuronidase:  neg D-AlaninePA:  + ArgDH:  neg LysDC:  neg OrnDC:  neg PyrrolidAA:  + AlkalineP:  +
    METABOLITES - PRODUCTION & USE
    Fuel Usable Metabolites Metabolites Released Special Products Compounds Produced

    		H2S:  neg Indole:  neg
    ANTIBIOTICS ℞
    Penicillins & Penems (μg/mL) Cephalosporins (μg/mL) Aminoglycosides (μg/mL) Macrolides (μg/mL) Quinolones (μg/mL)
    amoxicillin:  I, S(0.05)
    Augmentin:  Sens
    ampicillin:  Sens
    benzyl-pen:  S,I
    carbenicil:  Sens
    methicillin:  Sens
    oxacillin:  Var
    penicillin_G:  R(32)
    cefalexin:  Sens
    cefazolin:  Sens
    cefepime:  R(125)
    cefotaxime:  R(32)
    cefprozil:  Sens
    ceftazidime:  Res
    cephalothin:  Sens
    amikacin:  R(>100)
    gentamicin:  S(0.125)
    kanamycin:  S(3.9)
    neomycin:  S(0.25)
    streptomycin:  R(64)
    erythromycin:  S(0.12)
    clarithromycin:  S(0.1)
    oleandomycin:  Var
    spiramycin:  Var(MIC50): 5), MIC90: Var(5
    linezolid:  Var
    ciprofloxacin:  S(0.625)
    enoxacin:  S(0.098)
    nalidixic-acid:  Sens
    norfloxacin:  S(0.06)
    Tetracyclines (μg/mL) Vancomycin Class (μg/mL) Polypep/ketides (μg/mL) Heterocycles (μg/mL) Other (μg/mL)
    doxycycline:  Sens
    oxytetracycline:  R(16)
    tetracycline:  S(8/8)
    teicoplanin:  R(12.5)
    vancomycin:  S(<0.078)
    bacitracin:  I
    gramicidin:  Res
    rifampicin:  S(0.03)
    chloramphenicol:  S(8/8)
    metronidazole:  R(200)
    nitrofurantoin:  S(1)
    clindamycin:  S(8/8)
    lincomycin:  Res
    novobiocin:  Res
    colistin:  Res
    polymyxin_B:  Res
    vibriostat_129:  Res

    References

    SPECIFIC REFERENCES FOR BACILLUS SUBTILIS
  • Adimpong2012 - Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Bacillus Strains Isolated from Primary Starters for African Traditional Bread Production and Characterization of the Bacitracin Operon and Bacitracin Biosynthesis.
  • Andrews2002 - Susceptibility testing of Bacillus species.
  • Coonrod1971 - Antibiotic Susceptibility of Bacillus Species.
  • Hu2021 - Characterization of Bacillus Species from Market Foods in Beijing, China.
  • Logan2011Bergey - Bergey's manual of systematic bacteriology. Vol. 3, The Firmicutes. Family Bacillaceae Genus I. Bacillus
  • Reva1995 - Antibiotic Susceptibility as a Taxonomic Characteristic of the Genus Bacillus.
  • Terekhov2018 - Ultrahigh-throughput functional profiling of microbiota communities.
  • Ilinskaya2017 - Secretome of Intestinal Bacilli: A Natural Guard against Pathologies.
  • Cheggour2000 - The dppA gene of Bacillus subtilis encodes a new D-aminopeptidase.
  • ...............................
    • GUT MICROBIOME COMPILATIONS AND METASTUDIES FOR BACILLUS SUBTILIS
  • Benno1984 - The intestinal microflora of infants: composition of fecal flora in breast-fed and bottle-fed infants.
  • Benno1986 - Comparison of the fecal microflora in rural Japanese and urban Canadians.
  • Benno1989 - Comparison of fecal microflora of elderly persons in rural and urban areas of Japan.
  • Byrd2020 - Stability and dynamics of the human gut microbiome and its association with systemic immune traits.
  • Forster2019 - A human gut bacterial genome and culture collection for improved metagenomic analyses.
  • Lagier2016 - Culture of previously uncultured members of the human gut microbiota by culturomics.
  • Pfleiderer2013 - Culturomics identified 11 new bacterial species from a single anorexia nervosa stool sample.
  • RajilicStojanovic2014 - The first 1000 cultured species of the human gastrointestinal microbiota.
  • Zeller2014 - Potential of fecal microbiota for early-stage detection of colorectal cancer
  • ...............................
    • GENERAL REFERENCES FOR BACILLUS SUBTILIS
  • Ludwig2009 - Revised road map to the phylum Firmicutes.
  • CCUG - Culture Collection University of Gothenburg - Entire Collection
    • Added: April 08, 2021