Paenibacillus polymyxa

Paenibacillus polymyxa, also known as Bacillus polymyxa, is a Gram-positive bacterium capable of fixing nitrogen. It is found in soil, plant roots, and marine sediments. History of P. polymyxa and its role as a biofertilizer and biocontrol agent in agriculture was extensively reviewed by Padda et al. (2017). P. polymyxa can be grown in the laboratory on trypticase soy agar medium. P. polymyxa is used as a soil inoculant in agriculture and horticulture. Biofilms of P. polymyxa growing on plant roots have been shown to produce exopolysaccharides which protect the plants from pathogens. The interactions between this bacterial species and plant roots also cause the root hairs to undergo physical changes. Some strains of P. polymyxa produce polymyxin antibiotic compounds. Surfactant complexes isolated from P. polymyxa have been shown to be effective in disrupting biofilms of Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus bovis. P. polymyxa is the source of dispase, an enzyme used to isolate cells from animal tissues.