TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - BIOTECHNOLOGY - Preferred Microorganism: (I) is Bacillus sp. SPT3 (FERM P-19226).(I) has the following characteristics:(a) morphological characteristics:(i) has a width of 0.7-0.8 microns and a length of 2-3 microns,(ii) has no polymorphisms in the cell,(iii) is motile,(iv) has peripheral flagellum and(v) has terminal spores,(b) cultural-characteristics:(i) in LB agar plate culture produces colonies having glossiness and cream color without any pigment production,(ii) absence of surface growth and presence of turbidity (precipitate) of culture medium seen in LB liquid culture,(iii) shows positive growth and gelatin liquefaction in LB gelatin stab culture and(iv) does not coagulate or liquefy litmus milk,(c) physiological properties, Gram's stain - positive, reduction of nitrate - negative, denitrifying reaction - positive, methyl red (MR) test - negative, Voges Proskauer (VP) test - negative, production of indole - negative, production of hydrogen sulfide - negative, hydrolysis of starch - negative, utilization of citric acid - (1) Koser -negative and (2) Christensen - negative, utilization of source of inorganic nitrogen - (1) nitrate - negative and (2) ammonium salt - negative, production of a pigment - negative (water insoluble), urease - negative, oxidase - positive, catalase - positive, range of growth (1) pH - 5.0-7.5 and (2) temperature - 55-70 degreesC, behavior with respect to oxygen - aerobic, O-F test (Hugh Leifson method) negative/negative, production/generation of acid and gas from saccharides (1) L-arabinose - Acid (negative)/gas (negative), (2) D-xylose - acid (positive)/gas (negative), (3) D-glucose - acid (negative)/gas (negative), (4) D-mannose - acid (positive)/gas (negative), (5) D-fructose - acid (positive)/gas (negative), (6) D-galactose - acid (positive)/gas (negative), (7) maltose - acid (positive)/gas (negative), (8) sucrose - acid (positive)/gas (negative), (9) lactose - acid (negative)/gas (negative), (10) trehalose - acid (positive)/gas (negative), (11) D-sorbitol - acid (negative)/gas (negative), (12) D-mannitol - acid (negative)/gas (negative), (13) inositol - acid (positive/negative)/gas (negative) and (14) glycerol - acid (negative)/gas (negative). EXAMPLE - Solubilization test of organic sludge using Bacillus sp. SPT3 (FERM P-19226) was performed as follows. The Bacillus sp. SPT3 strains were cultured in LB culture medium containing bactotrypton (10 g), yeast extract (5 g), sodium chloride (5 g) and distilled water (1 l) at 60 degreesC for 15 hours. The concentration of sterilized sludge obtained from activated-sludge treatment of sewage wastes was determined and inoculated into the culture medium. Shaking culture was performed at 63 degreesC. After culture completion, sample was extracted from the culture and the concentration of sterilized sludge was measured. The same experiment was performed without adding a microbe, as a control. The solubilization rate of the sludge was significantly found to be increased in the culture added with Bacillus sp. SPT3 strain, when compared with the control.