ACTINOMYCETES

Actinomycetes are unicellular, Gram-positive bacteria that

belong to the Order Actinomycetales. Members of this
group are widely distributed in nature and can be found
in a variety of habitats across the world. They have been
shown to share a number of characteristics with fungi
(e.g. mycelial growth).
Actinomycetes produce a wide variety of industrially and
medically relevant compounds (antibiotics,
chemotherapeutics, fungicides, herbicides and
immunosuppressants).
Actinomycetes are predominantly found in soil, in the
silt of water bodies, in the air and in plant remains.
They are the most abundant organisms that form
thread-like filaments in the soil. They grow as hyphae
like fungi responsible for the characteristically
“earthy” smell of freshly turned healthy soil. Many
genera form spores; the sporangia may be found on
aerial hyphae or on the colony surface. While some
members of this group cause diseases (e.g.
Actinomycosis caused by Actinomyces israelii ), they
are important soil organisms because they break
down various recalcitrant organic compounds and
also produce biologically active compounds that have
been used as antibiotics and insecticides, etc.
They play major role in inhibiting the growth of several
plant pathogens in the rhizosphere and decompose
complex substances in dead plants and animals resulting
in production of many extracellular enzymes which are
conducive to crop production.
They perform the functions like phosphate solubilization,
siderophores production (Siderophores are organic
compounds with low molecular weight that are
produced by microorganisms and plants growing under
low iron conditions. The primary function of these
compounds is to chelate the ferric ion from different
habitats and thereby make it available for microbial and
plant cells) and nitrogen fixation. Furthermore,
Actinomycetes do not contaminate the environment;
instead, they help to maintain the biotic equilibrium of
soil by taking part in nutrient cycling.
Examples of Actinomycetes include:
• Actinomyces meyeri
• Actinomyces israelii
• Nocardia brasiliensis
• Nocardia asteroides
• Streptomyces coelicolor
• Streptomyces scabies
In soil, Actinomycetes are particularly useful given that
They break down a variety of tough compounds and in
doing so, they play an important role in recycling organic
matter in the soil
Actinomycetes are also involved in nitrogen fixation in soil.
Some of the species like members of the genus Frankia
survive by forming a symbiotic relationship with
leguminous plants. They convert atmospheric nitrogen
into usable forms (e.g. nitrates and ammonia).
The earthy smell of freshly turned soil is due to the
activities of Actinomycetes in soil.
Thermophilic Actinomycetes can be found in
compost/manure particularly during the early stages of
decomposition. Through their involvement in
decomposition, the heat level is increased in
manure/compost which provides a favorable living
environment for many microbes
 Some of the species are capable of surviving in
various extreme environments and can, therefore, be
classified based on these habitats. They include:
· Alkalophilic species - Identified in alkaline soil (e.g.
Bogoriella caseilytica)
· Halophilic species - Survive in areas with high salt
concentrations (e.g. Saccharomonospora halophila)
· Psychrophilic species - Commonly found in very
low temperatures (e.g.Modestobacter multiseptatus)
Reproduction -
The life-cycle of many Actinomycetes alternates between
spores and hyphal / mycelial growth. For the majority
of these species, spore formation is characterized by
septation at several intervals of the aerial hyphae.
In the soil, or in the event of adverse environmental
conditions, the spores (dormant) are able to survive for
a long period of time.
Under favorable environmental conditions, the spores
germinate to produce germ tubes. These germ tubes
then grow/extend to form mycelium.
Whereas some of these branches anchor the organism
(substrate mycelium), others grow upwards (aerial
hyphae). Aerial hyphae, extend into the air and and
produce spores. These spores are then released into the
environment allowing the cycle to continue under
favorable environmental conditions.
Nutrition -
Actinomycetes are heterotrophic organisms and thus depend
on various organic materials as a source of food energy. This
is achieved by decomposing various organic materials (e.g.
cellulose and lignin) in their surroundings. To effectively
breakdown these compounds Actinomycetes produce a
number of enzymes including cellulases, keratinases,
lipases, pectinases etc.
Actinomycetes vs Fungi
Actinomycetes were previously confused for fungi because of
the fact that they produce mycelium. But there are a
number of differences. For instance, while they both have a
cell wall but Actinomycetes have a peptidoglycan layer in
their cell wall while fungi have chitin in their wall. The two
are also different in that fungi are eukaryotes while
Actinomycetes are prokaryotes.
THANK YOU

Dr. Lekha George

Mount Carmel College