Actinomycetes

Background

Actinomycetes is a nontaxonomic term for a group of common soil microorganisms sometimes called "thread or ray bacteria." Actinomycetes are a versatile group of Gram positive, rod shaped and spore forming bacteria widely distributed in the terrestrial and aquatic environments. The specialty of the actinomycetes is that they have a mycelial appearance unlike most bacteria. This group of bacteria is well known for their ability to produce a range of bioactive molecules, including antibiotics and various kinds of enzymes. As they are known for their ability to produce various antibiotics, the actinomycetes are widely explored by various research groups in search of novel drug molecules. Since the cultivation and maintenance of actinobacteria are not that easy as in the case of other bacteria, they are rather underexplored. Actinomycetes are prokaryotic organisms that are classified as bacteria, but are unique enough to be discussed as an individual group.