Species ***Bacillus* *atrophaeus***

Name: Bacillus atrophaeus Nakamura 1989

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: a.tro.phae’us. L. adj. ater -tra -trum, black; Gr. masc. adj. phaios, brown; N.L. masc. adj. atrophaeus, dark brown

Pronunciation, gender: a-tro-P^HA͡E-us, masculine

Type strain: ATCC 49337; CCUG 28524; CIP 107159; DSM 7264; IFO 15539; JCM 9070; LMG 16797; NBRC 15539; NRRL NRS-213; NRS 213

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: AB021181 Analyse FASTA

Valid publication: Nakamura LK. Taxonomic relationship of black-pigmented Bacillus subtilis strains and a proposal for Bacillus atrophaeus sp. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1989; 39:295-300. 🇺🇸

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

Taxonomic status: correct name (and explicitly recommended for medical use)

Risk group: 1

Notes:
- 📧 The e-mail address of the corresponding author given in the effective publication is not functional any more.
- 🧬 The phylogenomic assignment score of this taxon is 0.18994 (N = 82).
- 😷 The risk group for Canada has been imported on 2024-02-27. The full classification is: risk group = 1, note = "Animal classification RG: 1 - Security sensitive biological agent: No - Terrestrial animal pathogen under Canadian Food Inspection Agency authority: No - Containment level: Containment Level 1". — The risk group for Swiss Confederation has been imported on 2024-02-01. The full classification is: risk group = 1, note = "PIIC". — The risk group for Germany has been imported on 2023-10-29. The full classification is: risk group = 1. — If in doubt, use the risk group given in the regulations for your country and, if these are not available, use the risk group given in the catalogue of the culture collection from which you have obtained or intend to obtain the strain.
- 🎓 Name mentioned 400 times in PubMed until 2025-06-04.
- 🪓 Organisms assigned to this species have previously been classified as Bacillus subtilis (Ehrenberg 1835) Cohn 1872 (Approved Lists 1980). Publication: Cohn F. Untersuchungen über Bakterien. In: Cohn F (eds), Beiträge zur Biologie der Pflanzen 1 (Heft 2), 1872, Max Müller, Breslau, 1875, p. 127-224. Skerman VBD, McGowan V, Sneath PHA. Approved lists of bacterial names. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1980; 30:225-420.
- 🙆 This name is on the List of Recommended Names for bacteria of medical importance (LoRN) as the name to be applied to this species. The name is on LoRN because of the recorded risk group of other species in the genus.
- 🧍 Strain DSM 675 was previously named "Bacillus globigii" Migula 1900, "red strain" or "Bacillus niger" Migula 1900, or "Bacillus subtilis var. niger" (Migula 1900) Smith et al. 1946. Strain DSM 2277 was previously named "Bacillus globigii" Migula 1900. Publication: Kleinman R, Whigham EA. Bacteria-immune system interactions. VIII. Modulation of human cytotoxic reactions by crude lipoteichoic acid extracts of Bacillus globigii. J Immunopharmacol 1983; 5:173-190.
- 🧍 The strains DSM 675 [= ATCC 9372 = CIP 77.18 = IFO (now NBRC) 13721 = NCIMB 8058 (formerly NCIB 8058; formerly NCDO 738)] and DSM 2277 [= ATCC 51189 = CIP 103406 = IAM 1633 = NCIB (now NCIMB) 8649 = NCTC 10073], used as bioindicators (DSM 675, hot-air sterilization control; DSM 2277, ethylene oxide sterilization control), previously allocated to Bacillus subtilis have been reclassified as Bacillus atrophaeus. Publication: Fritze D, Pukall R. Reclassification of bioindicator strains Bacillus subtilis DSM 675 and Bacillus subtilis DSM 2277 as Bacillus atrophaeus. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2001; 51:35-37. 🇩🇪

Parent taxon: Bacillus Cohn 1872 (Approved Lists 1980)

Assigned by: Nakamura LK. Taxonomic relationship of black-pigmented Bacillus subtilis strains and a proposal for Bacillus atrophaeus sp. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1989; 39:295-300. 🇺🇸

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Record number: 773644

This LPSN page was printed on 2026-01-15 23:20:38

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Species Bacillus atrophaeus

Species ***Bacillus* *atrophaeus***