The Status of Bacillus subtilis , Including a Note on the Separation of Precipitinogens from Bacterial Spores

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Small-celled species of aerobic spore-formers are most likely to be isolated from boiled hay infusions within the first 48 hrs. of incubation at 25[degree]C; consequently the notion that Cohn described a small-celled species as B. subtilis is valid. The Marburg strain of B. subtilis accepted as the type species of the genus is identical with B. vulgatus. The B. subtilis of Ford and Lawrence (1916) is distinct from B. vulgatus and both deserve rank as species. Reasons are outlined for the designation of Ford and Lawrence''s organism as the type species of the genus. By boiling in [image]/10 and [image]/20 HC1 it is possible to separate precipitinogens that give positive Molisch, Biuret and xanthoproteic tests from bacterial spores. The antigens of B. subtilis and B. vulgatus do not cross-precipitate with antiserum of the heterologous species.