Editing Bacillus (section)

== Ecological and clinical significance ==
''Bacillus'' species are ubiquitous in nature, e.g. in soil. They can occur in extreme environments such as high pH (''[[Bacillus alcalophilus|B. alcalophilus]]''), high temperature (''[[Bacillus thermophilus|B. thermophilus]]''), and high salt concentrations (''[[Bacillus halodurans|B. halodurans]]''). They also are very commonly found as [[endophyte]]s in plants where they can play a critical role in their [[immune system]], [[Plant nutrition|nutrient absorption]] and [[Nitrogen Fixation|nitrogen fixing]] capabilities.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ding Y, Wang J, Liu Y, Chen S | date = 2005 | title = Isolation and identification of nitrogen-fixing bacilli from plant rhizospheres in Beijing region | journal = Journal of Applied Microbiology | volume = 99 | issue = 5 | pages = 1271–1281 | doi = 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2005.02738.x| pmid = 16238759 | s2cid = 19917931 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Xie G, Su B, Cui Z | title = Isolation and identification of N2-fixing strains of Bacillus in rice rhizosphere of the Yangtze River Valley | journal = Wei Sheng Wu Xue Bao = Acta Microbiologica Sinica | publisher = Chinese Academy of Sciences | volume = 38 | issue = 6 | pages = 480–483 | language = Chinese | date = Dec 1998 | url = https://europepmc.org/article/MED/12548929 | pmid = 12548929}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = War Nongkhla F, Joshi S | date = 2014 | title = Epiphytic and endophytic bacteria that promote growth of ethnomedicinal plants in the subtropical forests of Meghalaya, India | journal = Revista de Biología Tropical | volume = 62 | issue = 4 | pages = 1295–1308 | doi = 10.15517/rbt.v62i4.12138| pmid = 25720168 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Jooste M, Roets F, Midgley GF et al | title = Nitrogen-fixing bacteria and Oxalis – evidence for a vertically inherited bacterial symbiosis | journal = BMC Plant Biology | volume = 19 | page = 441 | date = 2019 | issue = 1 | doi = 10.1186/s12870-019-2049-7| pmid = 31646970 | pmc = 6806586 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ramesh A, Sharma SK, Sharma MP, Yadav N, Joshi OP | title = Inoculation of zinc solubilizing Bacillus aryabhattai strains for improved growth, mobilization and biofortification of zinc in soybean and wheat cultivated in Vertisols of central India | journal = Applied Soil Ecology | volume = 73 | date = 2014 | pages = 87–96 | issn = 0929-1393 | doi = 10.1016/j.apsoil.2013.08.009| bibcode = 2014AppSE..73...87R }}</ref> ''[[Bacillus thuringiensis|B. thuringiensis]]'' produces a toxin that can kill insects and thus has been used as [[insecticide]].<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Slonczewski JL, Foster JW | date = 2011 | title = Microbiology: An Evolving Science | edition = 2nd | publisher = Norton }}</ref> ''B. siamensis'' has antimicrobial compounds that inhibit plant pathogens, such as the fungi ''[[Rhizoctonia solani]]'' and ''[[Botrytis cinerea]]'', and they promote plant growth by volatile emissions.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Jeong H, Jeong DE, Kim SH, Song GC, Park SY, Ryu CM, Park SH, Choi SK | title = Draft genome sequence of the plant growth-promoting bacterium Bacillus siamensis KCTC 13613T | journal = Journal of Bacteriology | volume = 194 | issue = 15 | pages = 4148–4149 | date = August 2012 | pmid = 22815459 | pmc = 3416560 | doi = 10.1128/JB.00805-12 }}</ref> Some species of ''Bacillus'' are naturally [[natural competence|competent]] for DNA uptake by [[transformation (genetics)|transformation]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Keen EC, Bliskovsky VV, Adhya SL, Dantas G | title = Draft Genome Sequence of the Naturally Competent ''Bacillus simplex'' Strain WY10 | journal = Genome Announcements | volume = 5 | issue = 46 | pages = e01295–17 | date = November 2017 | pmid = 29146837 | pmc = 5690344 | doi = 10.1128/genomeA.01295-17 }}
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* Two ''Bacillus'' species are medically significant: ''[[Bacillus anthracis|B. anthracis]]'', which causes [[anthrax]]; and ''[[Bacillus cereus|B. cereus]]'', which causes [[foodborne illness|food poisoning]], with symptoms similar to that caused by ''[[Staphylococcus]]''.<ref name=Sherris>{{cite book | veditors = Ryan KJ, Ray CG | title = Sherris Medical Microbiology | edition = 4th | publisher = McGraw Hill | year = 2004 | isbn = 978-0-8385-8529-0 }}</ref>
** ''B. cereus'' produces toxins which cause two different set of symptoms:
*** emetic toxin which can cause vomiting and nausea
*** diarrhea
* ''[[B. thuringiensis]]'' is an important [[insect]] pathogen, and is sometimes used to control insect pests.
* ''B. subtilis'' is an important [[model organism]]. It is also a notable food spoiler, causing ropiness in bread and related food.
** ''B. subtilis'' can also produce and secrete antibiotics.
* Some environmental and commercial strains of ''[[Bacillus coagulans|B. coagulans]]'' may play a role in food spoilage of highly acidic, tomato-based products.