Bacillus megaterium
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Classification
Here is a top-view image of a plate streaked with Bacillus Megaterium and incubated at room temperature for 24 hours.
Higher order taxa
Kingdom: Bacteria
Phylum: Firmicutes
Class: Bacilli
Order: Bacillales
Family: Bacillaceae
Genus: Bacillus
Species: B. megaterium
Species
Genus: Bacillus
Description and significance
Bacillus Megaterium is a Gram Positive, Rod Shaped Endospore-Forming Bacteria. It is considered Aerobic, but, it is also capable of growing under anaerobic conditions when necessary. One of the largest Eubacteria found in soil, and hence the name “mega” means “relatively big” is a common soil saprophyte. A saprophyte is an organism, especially a fungus or bacterium, that lives on and gets its nourishment from dead organisms or decaying organic material. Saprophytes recycle organic material in the soil, breaking it down into in simpler compounds that can be taken up by other organisms. Bacillus Megaterium are also found in chains where the cells are joined together by polysaccharides on the cell walls and synthesizes a capsule composed of both polypeptide and polysaccharide. Bacillus Megaterium is also able to survive in extreme conditions such as desert environments due to the spores it forms.
Here are two images showing the structure and shape of each Bacillus Megaterium:
http://www.magma.ca/~scimat/B_mega101.jpg
http://dept.kent.edu/microbiology/images/bmeg.jpg
Genome structure
Describe the size and content of the genome. How many chromosomes? Circular or linear? Other interesting features? What is known about its sequence? Does it have any plasmids? Are they important to the organism's lifestyle?
Cell structure and metabolism
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Ecology
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Pathology
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Application to Biotechnology
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Current Research
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