Kerala’s State Microbe: Bacillus Subtilis

In January 2026, Kerala became the first Indian State to declare Bacillus subtilis as its State microbe.

• Simultaneously, the Centre of Excellence in Microbiome (CoEM) was inaugurated under KSCSTE in collaboration with K-DISC. 

India’s National Microbe 

• Declared in 2012: Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus was declared India’s National Microbe by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
• Significance: Recognised for its vital role in traditional foods (curd, yoghurt), nutrition, gut health, and immunity, highlighting microbes’ importance in everyday life.

About Bacillus subtilis

• Bacillus subtilis is a beneficial, non-pathogenic bacterium found in soil, fermented foods, and the human gut.
• Features: 
  • It is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped (bacillus) bacterium, typically 2–6 µm long.
  • It is a facultative aerobe that is motile via peritrichous flagella.
  • It multiples through asexual reproduction through binary fission, allowing rapid growth.
  • Under environmental stress or nutrient limitation, it undergoes a complex differentiation process to form highly resistant, dormant endospores, enabling survival in harsh conditions. 
• Key Roles
  • Acts as a probiotic, supporting gut health and immunity.
  • Enhances agricultural productivity through disease suppression and soil health improvement.
  • Has applications in biocontrol, biofertilisers, and industrial biotechnology where it can be used for breakdown or as a model organism.

About Centre of Excellence in Microbiome (CoEM)

• The CoEM is a government-established institution under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), in collaboration withKerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC) aimed at advancing microbiome research.
• It is the first institution in the country to bring microbiome-based translational research across multiple sectors including human health, nutrition, immunity, agriculture, fisheries, and environmental conservation under one umbrella.
• Motto: “Microbes for Life”
• Objectives
  • Study the role of microorganisms in human health, nutrition, immunity, agriculture, fisheries, and environment.
  • Translate microbiome research into commercially viable technologies and products.
  • Promote interdisciplinary research, innovation, and startup ecosystems in microbiome science.

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Role of Microbes in the Indian Economy

• Market Value: Microbial fermentation industry valued at about $4.47 billion, projected to exceed $8 billion by 2030.
• Application: Critical for producing antibiotics, vaccines, enzymes, biologics, and APIs.
• Expanding probiotics and bio-inputs market supporting sustainable agriculture and health.

Kerala’s recognition of Bacillus subtilis highlights microbes as drivers of health, sustainable agriculture, and India’s emerging bioeconomy through science-led innovation.

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