Taxonomy
Morphology
Cultural characteristics
Biochemical characters
Ecology
Pathogenicity
References
Phylum Firmicutes, Class Bacilli, Order Bacillales, Family Bacillaceae, Genus Bacillus, Bacillus muralis Heyman, Logan,
Rodriguez-Diaz, Scheldeman, Lebbe, Swings, Heyndrickx and De Vos 2005.
Gram-variable, straight rods, 0.7-0.8 µm in diameter, motile when occurring singly but
nonmotile when in chains. Produce central / paracentral, ellipsoidal endospores in
unswollen or slightly swollen sporangia.
Colonies are cream, glossy, 3-6 mm in diameter after 2 days, with irregular margins,
slightly raised and umbonate. Grows at pH 7-9 and at 20 and 30 ºC but are not able to
grow at 45 ºC. Aerobic; weak anaerobic growth.
Isolated from mural paintings in the Lutheran church of Greene-Kreiensen, Germany.
Unknown.
- Heyrman J., Logan N.A., Rodriguez-Diaz M., Scheldeman P., Lebbe L., Swings J., Heyndricks M. and DE VOS P., 2005.Study of
mural painting isolates, leading to the transfer of “Bacillus maroccanus” and “Bacillus carotarum” to Bacillus simplex , emended
description of Bacillus simplex , re-examination of the strains previously attributed to “Bacillus macroides” and description of
Bacillus muralis sp.nov. IJSEM 55, 119-131.
Positive results for catalase, oxidase, beta-galactosidase, hydrolysis of esculin,
hydrolysis of hippurate, nitrate reduction, hydrolysis of starch, acid production from:
L-arabinose (weak), arbutin, cellobiose, fructose, galactose (weak), glycerol, D-glucose, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, lactose, maltose,
D-mannitol, D-mannose, melibiose (weak), raffinose (weak), ribose, salicin and trehalose.
Negative results for arginine dihydrolase, lysine decarboxylase, ornithine decarboxylase, hydrolysis of urea, hydrolysis of gelatin,
indole production, H2S production, Voges-Proskauer reaction, citrate utilization, acid production from: adonitol, amygdalin,
D-arabinose, D- or L-arabitol, dulcitol, erythritol, D- or L-fucose, methyl beta-xyloside, glycogen, beta-gentiobiose, gluconate,
meso-inositol, inulin, 2- or 5-ketogluconate, lyxose, melezitose, rhamnose, sorbitol, sorbose, starch, xylitol and L-xylose.
Variable results for casein hydrolysis and acid production from sucrose.
(c) Costin Stoica