Editing Bacillus (section)

==Isolation and identification==
Established methods for isolating ''Bacillus'' species for culture primarily involve suspension of sampled soil in distilled water, heat shock to kill off vegetative cells leaving primarily viable spores in the sample, and culturing on agar plates with further tests to confirm the identity of the cultured colonies.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Travers RS, Martin PA, Reichelderfer CF | title = Selective Process for Efficient Isolation of Soil Bacillus spp | journal = Applied and Environmental Microbiology | volume = 53 | issue = 6 | pages = 1263–1266 | date = June 1987 | pmid = 16347359 | pmc = 203852 | doi = 10.1128/aem.53.6.1263-1266.1987 | bibcode = 1987ApEnM..53.1263T }}</ref> Additionally, colonies which exhibit characteristics typical of ''Bacillus'' bacteria can be selected from a culture of an environmental sample which has been significantly diluted following heat shock or hot air drying to select potential ''Bacillus'' bacteria for testing.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Foysal MJ, Lisa AK | title = Isolation and characterization of ''Bacillus'' sp. strain BC01 from soil displaying potent antagonistic activity against plant and fish pathogenic fungi and bacteria | journal = Journal, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology | volume = 16 | issue = 2 | pages = 387–392 | date = December 2018 | pmid = 30733751 | pmc = 6353715 | doi = 10.1016/j.jgeb.2018.01.005 }}</ref>

Cultured colonies are usually large, spreading, and irregularly shaped. Under the microscope, the ''Bacillus'' cells appear as rods, and a substantial portion of the cells usually contain oval [[endospore]]s at one end, making them bulge.<ref>{{Cite book | vauthors = Caldwell FE |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MpBpAwAAQBAJ&dq=Bacillus+cells+appear+as+rods%2C+and+a+substantial+portion+of+the+cells+usually+contain+oval+endospores+at+one+end%2C&pg=PA35 |title=The Students Reference Guide to Bacteria |date=2011-04-06 |publisher= Lulu.com|isbn=978-1-257-42416-0 |language=en}}</ref>