Bacillus polymyxa (Prazmowski 1880) Macé 1889 Clostridium polymyxa Prazmowski 1880 Granulobacter polymyxa (Prazmowski 1880) Beijerinck 1893 Aerobacillus polymyxa (Prazmowski 1880) Donker 1926 Pseudomonas azotogensis Voets and Debacker Paenibacillus polymyxa is a Gram-positive bacterium capable of fixing nitrogen. The species may also be known as Bacillus polymyxa. It is found in soil, plant roots, and marine sediments.[1] Strains of this species were also isolated from cod intestines by students at the University of Tromsø in February 2009. P. polymyxa can be grown in the laboratory on TSAg-medium. P. polymyxa is used as a soil inoculant in agriculture and horticulture. Biofilms of P. polymyxa growing on plant roots have been shown to produce exopolysaccharides which protect the plants from pathogens. The interactions between this bacterial species and plant roots also cause the root hairs to undergo physical changes.[2] Some strains of P. polymyxa produce polymyxin antibiotic compounds.[3] Surfactant complexes isolated from P. polymyxa have been shown to be effective in disrupting biofilms of Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus bovis.[4]