Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Streptomyces
open-in-new
<p><i>Streptomyces</i>, from στρεπτός (<i>streptós</i>), meaning "twisted", and μύκης (<i>múkés</i>), meaning "fungus", is the largest <a href="/facts/Genus/m8EFjSms">genus</a> of <a href="/facts/Actinomycetota/ShmuHEND">Actinomycetota</a>, and the <a href="/facts/Type_genus/vKbAuKph">type genus</a> of the family <a href="/facts/Streptomycetaceae/mns3CpdM">Streptomycetaceae</a>. Over 700 species of <i>Streptomyces</i> <a href="/facts/Bacteria/wC8xSCsU">bacteria</a> have been described. As with the other Actinomycetota, streptomycetes are <a href="/facts/Gram-positive/H6WYQ17e">gram-positive</a>, and have very large <a href="/facts/Genomes/tjhWET4V">genomes</a> with high <a href="/facts/GC-content/nRoVl7gw">GC content</a>. Found predominantly in soil and decaying vegetation, most streptomycetes produce <a href="/facts/Spore/6qDRdcrs">spores</a>, and are noted for their distinct "earthy" odor that results from production of a volatile <a href="/facts/Metabolite/nAyywVtA">metabolite</a>, <a href="/facts/Geosmin/MkP604Hv">geosmin</a>. Different strains of the same species may colonize very diverse environments. </p><p>Streptomycetes are characterised by a complex <a href="/facts/Secondary_metabolism/F46tbTNA">secondary metabolism</a>. Between 5-23% (average: 12%) of the protein-coding genes of each <i>Streptomyces</i> species are implicated in secondary metabolism. Streptomycetes produce over two-thirds of the clinically useful <a href="/facts/Antibiotic/sF1kIfxg">antibiotics</a> of natural origin (e.g., <a href="/facts/Neomycin/rcK7U59h">neomycin</a>, <a href="/facts/Streptomycin/2zqL5HQb">streptomycin</a>, cypemycin, grisemycin, <a href="/facts/Bottromycin/PBg5LXzM">bottromycins</a> and <a href="/facts/Chloramphenicol/4KQxQKvs">chloramphenicol</a>). The antibiotic <a href="/facts/Streptomycin/2zqL5HQb">streptomycin</a> takes its name directly from <i>Streptomyces</i>. Streptomycetes are infrequent <a href="/facts/Pathogens/axMXtV1M">pathogens</a>, though infections in humans, such as <a href="/facts/Eumycetoma/t1h0ejrz">mycetoma</a>, can be caused by <i><a href="/facts/Streptomyces_somaliensis/wNwIYVX4">S. somaliensis</a></i> and <i><a href="/facts/Streptomyces_sudanensis/IVaK2gcb">S. sudanensis</a></i>, and in plants can be caused by <i><a href="/facts/Streptomyces_caviscabies/3CxuhszK">S. caviscabies</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Streptomyces_acidiscabies/xDGPPDg3">S. acidiscabies</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Streptomyces_turgidiscabies/mMLnuBNN">S. turgidiscabies</a></i> and <i><a href="/facts/Streptomyces_scabies/wv0gP2r8">S. scabies</a></i>. </p>