Structure and Assembly of the Bacillus anthracis Exosporium

Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is a highly pathogenic Gram-positive soil bacterium that is also considered a serious threat as a potential bioterrorism agent. Like other bacilli, B. anthracis forms protective spores upon starvation. The spores are the main pathogenic agents, easily spread and highly resistant to environmental stress. When the spores enter a mammalian host, they germinate and undergo vegetative growth, followed by production of anthrax toxin, which leads to systemic bacteremia and toxemia that is often fatal.