Bacillaceae

Bacillaceae
Bacillus subtilis, Gram stained
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Bacteria
Division:	Firmicutes
Class:	Bacilli
Order:	Bacillales
Family:	Bacillaceae Garrity et al. 2001
Genera
Aeribacillus Alkalibacillus Amphibacillus Anoxybacillus Bacillus Caldalkalibacillus Cerasibacillus Exiguobacterium Filobacillus Geobacillus Gracilibacillus Halalkalibacillus Halobacillus Halolactibacillus Jeotgalibacillus Lentibacillus Lysinibacillus Marinibacillus Oceanobacillus Ornithinibacillus Paraliobacillus Paucisalibacillus Pelagibacillus Piscibacillus Pontibacillus Saccharococcus Salibacillus Salimicrobium Salinibacillus Salirhabdus Salsuginibacillus Tenuibacillus Terribacillus Thalassobacillus Ureibacillus Virgibacillus Vulcanibacillus

The Bacillaceae are a family of Gram-positive, heterotrophic, rod-shaped bacteria that may produce endospores.^[1] Motile members of this family are characterized by peritrichous flagella. Some Bacillaceae are aerobic, while others are facultative or strict anaerobes. Most are not pathogenic, but Bacillus species are known to cause disease in humans.

Gram-variable cell wall

Some Bacillaceae, such as the genera Filobacillus, Lentibacillus, and Halobacillus, stain Gram-negative or Gram-variable, but are known to have a Gram-positive cell wall.^[2]

Nomenclature

Genera within this family are sometimes colloquially identified as bacilli. However, this term is a misnomer because it does not distinguish between class Bacilli, order Bacillales, family Bacillaceae, and genus Bacillus.

References

1. Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology (2 ed.), Volume 3. 2008. The low G + C Gram-positive Bacteria. Editors: De Vos, P., Garrity, G., Jones, D., Krieg, N.R., Ludwig, W., Rainey, F.A., Schleifer, K.-H. and W.B. Whitman. ISBN 0-387-95041-9
2. Lim, J.M., Jeon, C.O., Song, S.M., and C.J. Kim. 2005. Pontibacillus chungwhensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a moderately halophilic Gram-positive bacterium from a solar saltern in Korea. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 55:165-170.