B. subtilis has proven highly amenable to genetic manipulation, and has become widely adopted as a model organism for laboratory studies, especially of sporulation, which is a simplified example of cellular differentiation.
B. subtilis on vastuvõtlik geneetilisele manipulatsioonile ja tänu sellele on ta tuntud mudelorganism laboratoorseteks uuringutest, sealhulgas eriti spooride uurimiseks, mis on lihtsustatud näide raku diferentseerumisest.