Antibiotics are low molecular-weight molecules produced as secondary metabolites, mainly by microorganisms that live in the soil. Microbial secondary metabolites have been a major source of clinically useful antibiotics. Members of the genus Bacillus are known to produce a wide arsenal of antimicrobial substances, including peptide and lipopeptide antibiotics. These peptides can be classified into two different groups based on whether they are ribosomally (bacteriocins) or nonribosomally (polymyxins and iturins) synthesized. The present paper provides a general overview of antimicrobial peptides derived from Bacillus species, including their structure and classification, as well as several extraction and purification methods used to obtain these bioactive compounds.
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