Some species of Bacillus that are known for their medical importance, such as B. anthracis, but most, like Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, are known for their catabolic properties and degradation of complex macromolecules.
B. amyloliquefaciens is Gram-positive, catalase positive, aerobic, rod-shaped and motile. This particular organism is found in soil samples in nature. As with other members of the family Bacillaceae, it forms a strong endospore for use when conditions are not favorable and can be dispersed in this form into dust which then also gets into water supplies for plants and animals. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens is further classified as a low G+C organism.
B. amyloliquefaciens is known for its ability to degrade proteins extracellularly, which was found to be useful. It was isolated for an enzyme that it excretes to digest the proteins that it encounters. The enzyme, subtilisin, has been put to use in the newer technologies of items such as laundry detergents and contact lens cleansers
Initially, the success of this enzyme's activity was not as great as desired. After examination, researchers found that calcium was bound to the molecule and was necessary for its full activity. Unfortunately, the calcium is stripped off of the enzyme once softened water entered the picture within the confines of washing machines or bathroom sinks. Through genetic engineering of this enzyme, scientists created a similarly potent version of subtilisin that can withstand the presence of softened water.
*Disclaimer - This report was written by a student participaring in a microbiology course at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. The accuracy of the contents of this report is not guaranteed and it is recommended that you seek additional sources of information to verify the contents.
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