Which of the following substances is produced by Bacillus anthracis?

Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, produces several virulence factors that contribute to its pathogenicity, one of which is edema toxin. Edema toxin is a significant component of the anthrax toxin, which also includes lethal toxin. The edema toxin is composed of protective antigen (PA) and edema factor (EF). Once activated, this combination inhibits phagocytosis and disrupts normal cellular signaling, leading to fluid accumulation and tissue swelling, a hallmark of anthrax infections.

This characteristic of Bacillus anthracis is vital in differentiating it from other bacterial species. For instance, while some bacteria produce beta-lactamase to confer resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics, this is not relevant to Bacillus anthracis. Similarly, streptolysin is a toxin produced by Streptococcus species, and while exotoxins are a general class of toxins produced by many bacteria, the specific exotoxin of relevance here is the combination of edema toxin and lethal toxin produced by Bacillus anthracis. Thus, edema toxin is a defining factor in the pathogenicity of Bacillus anthracis.