Extracellular Hemolysins of Aerobic Sporogenic Bacilli

Abstract Forty-five strains, representing 18 species of the genus Bacillus, were surveyed for production of hemolysin against rabbit erythrocytes. Broth cultures of B. cereus, B. alvei, and B. laterosporus contained lysins that closely resembled streptolysin O. B. subtilis and a single strain of B. cereus may produce lysins having characteristics different from those of streptolysin O.