Bacillus mycoides

Bacillus mycoides is a bacterium of the genus Bacillus.

Bacillus mycoides cells are usually larger than 3 micrometers, form chains of cells, can form acid from glucose, and this form is non motile. Its cell body does not swell when sporulating; Using Voges–Proskauer test, B. mycoides produces a positive result. It can also hydrolyse starch. B. mycoides is a common soil organism. When grown on solid media B. mycoides forms spreading colonies with a repeating spiral pattern. The direction of curvature of the pattern in a given strain is known as its chirality and is a hereditary trait. B. mycoides has the unusual property of being able to respond to mechanical force and surface structure variations in the media on which it is growing