Prime time for Bacillus megaterium.

It is evident that B. megaterium is an intriguing organism because of its biochemical versatility, its wide distribution ecologically, its ability to undergo sporulation, and its usefulness as an industrial production strain and expression host. With the progress in genetics and the availability of molecular tools such as new transposons, vectors and efficient transformation, an understanding of some of the organization and regulation of many genes is increasing rapidly. Such recent discoveries as the ability of oxetanocin to combat some medically significant, recalcitrant viruses further demonstrates that there is much to be learned and much to benefit from continued study of B. megaterium.