Bacillus stearothermophilus NEUF2011

Classification: Higher order taxa. Kingdom: Bacteria Phylum: Firmicutes Class: Bacilli Order: Bacillales Family: Bacillaceae Genus: Geobacillus Species: stearothermophilus

Description and significance:

Bacillus stearothermophilus is a rod-shaped, Gram-positive, spore forming bacterium. This thermophile grows in temperatures ranging from 30-75 C, and is able to survive temperatures as high as 130 degress C. This bacteria can be found in a variety of warm environments and is often the cause of food spoilage. Clinically, it is very a beneficial organism that can be used to verify that laboratory sterilization processes are working properly. 1

Genome structure:

Bacillus stearothermophilus has sixty-four genes that were successfully mapped in 1990 by Vallier and Welker of Northwestern University (2). Their findings indicate that the genetic make up of the Bacillus stearothermophilus and the genetic make up of a closely related species, Bacillus subtilis, are very similar, with some important differences (2).

References

1:NAZINA (T.N.), TOUROVA (T.P.), POLTARAUS (A.B.), NOVIKOVA (E.V.), GRIGORYAN (A.A.), IVANOVA (A.E.), LYSENKO (A.M.), PETRUNYAKA (V.V.), OSIPOV (G.A.), BELYAEV (S.S.) and IVANOV (M.V.): Taxonomic study of aerobic thermophilic bacilli: descriptions of Geobacillus subterraneus gen. nov., sp. nov. and Geobacillus uzenensis sp. nov. from petroleum reservoirs and transfer of Bacillus stearothermophilus, Bacillus thermocatenulatus, Bacillus thermoleovorans, Bacillus kaustophilus, Bacillus thermoglucosidasius and Bacillus thermodenitrificans to Geobacillus as the new combinations G. stearothermophilus, G. thermocatenulatus, G. thermoleovorans, G. kaustophilus, G. thermoglucosidasius and G. thermodenitrificans. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 2001, 51, 433-446.

2:Vallier, H. & Welker, N. E. (1990). Genetic map of the Bacillus stearothermophilus NUB36 chromosome. J Bacteriol 172, 793–801.