Actinomycetes

Actinomycetes

1. Actinomycetes HISTORY CLASSIFICATION INTRODUCTION MORPHOLOGY ROLE OF ACTINOMYCETES ISOLATION DIFFERENT SOURCES AND MEDIA FOR ISOLATION APPLICATIONS OF ENZYMES APPLICATIONS OF ACTINOMYCETES NITROGEN FIXING BACTERIA – FRANKIA DECOMPOSER ACTINOMYCETES

2. History of Actinomycetes 1940 - no one had really though much about the bacteria actinomycetes. That is until Selman Waksman discovered streptomycin-the first treatment for tuberculosis that actually worked.  1945 - many different types of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes, have been discovered and have been used in many different antibiotics .  1940 - Selman Abraham Waksman with the help of Boyd Woodruff, discovered the antibiotic actinomycin . Actinomycin is mostly made up of the bacteria actinomycetes. While this preliminary antibiotic failed , it led to other varities such as Actinomycin A, B, C, and D .  Several of these new varities were found to have strong anti-cancer effects. After about 50 years of genetic research on actinomycetes, actinomycetes now are used in most of the antibiotics used to treat infections and drugs that are anti-cancer, anti-parasitic , and immunosuppressant .

3. Actinomycetes:  A group of gram-positive bacteria (order Actinomycetales ) that produce various bioactive agents including antibiotics, enzymes, and vitamins . Streptomyces belong to this bacterial order. Classification : Actinomycetes belonging to the order of Actinomycetales are grouped under four families viz., Mycobacteriaceae , Actinomycetaceae , Streptomycetaceae and Actinoplanaceae . Actinomycetous genera which are agriculturally and industrially important are present in only two families of Actinomycetaceae and Strepotmycetaceae . In the order of abundance in soils, the common genera of actinomycetes are Streptomyces (nearly 70% ), Nocardia and Micromonospora .

4. Actinomyctes are branching Gram-positive bacilli. The cell wall and the internal structures are typical of bacteria rather than fungi. Some are aerobic and others are anaerobic . All are slow growing Non-motile Non- sporing Non-capsulated Arranged in chains or branching filaments Most are soil saprophytes or normal human commensals Important genera include Actinomyces Nocardia Actinomadura Streptomyces Thermophilic INTRODUCTION

5. ACTINOMYCETES MORPHOLOGY

6. FUNCTIONS / ROLE OF ACTINOMYCETES: Degrade/decompose all sorts of organic substances like cellulose, polysaccharides, protein fats, organic-acids etc. Organic residues / substances added soil are first attacked by bacteria and fungi and later by actinomycetes, because they are slow in activity and growth than bacteria and fungi. They decompose / degrade the more resistant and indecomposable organic substance/matter and produce a number of dark black to brown pigments which contribute to the dark colour of soil humus. They are also responsible for subsequent further decomposition of humus (resistant material) in soil. They are responsible for earthy/musty odor / smell of freshly ploughed soils. Many genera species and strains ( eg . Streptomyces if actinomycetes produce/synthesize number of antibiotics like Streptomycin, Terramycin , Aureomycin etc. One of the species of actinomycetes Streptomyces scabies causes disease "Potato scab" in potato .

7. Procedure: Various steps for the Isolation and characterization of actinomycetes Collection of samples from different habitats Enrichment of samples using different treatments Sample were culture on different media Isolate by Morphological, Physiological, Biochemical and Molecular methods Strains of actinomycetes isolated

8. Morphological methods: (a)Macroscopic methods •Cover slip culture (b)Microscopic methods •Slide culture method Physiological methods: • Range of pH for growth • Optimum temperature for growth •Salinity Biochemical methods: • Catalase production • Urease production •Hydrogen sulfide production •Nitrate reduction •Starch hydrolysis •Gelatin liquefaction •Methyl red test •Vogues- proskauer test • Indole production •Citrate utilization •Casein hydrolysis Molecular methods: •RFLP using any one of genomic DNA •RAPD •PFGE •ARDRA •Use of genus specific primers Strains of actinomycetes isolated

9. SOURCE MEDIA FROM SOIL: Humus Layer of Forest Soil (a) Humic acid-vitamin agar (b)Starch casein nitrate agar(SCS) (c)Hair hydrolysate vitamin agar(HHVA) (d) Bennet‟s agar(BA) Corn Field, Cow Barn yard, Forest a) Arginine -glycerol salt(AGS)medium (b)Chitin medium (c)Modified Benedict‟s medium (d)Soybean meal-glucose medium Lake Soil Chitin agar Soil Coal-vitamin agar Marine Soil Starch casein nitrate(SCN) agar medium FROM WATER: Stream Sediments & Lake muds (a)Chitin agar media (b)M3 agar medium (c) Benett‟s medium Marine Sediments a)Starch-casein agar (b) Asparagine agar (c)Glycerol- glycine agar Different sources and media for isolation of actinomycetes

10. Applications of enzymes produced from actinomycetes.

11. While nitrogen makes up about 79% of our atmosphere, plants can not use nitrogen in its gaseous state. It first must be fixed or combined into either Ammonia, NH 3 or Nitrate, NO 3 . The natural nitrogen cycle relies on nitrogen fixing bacteria like those found in the Frankia family of actinobacteria, to supply the fixed nitrogen. Fixed nitrogen is often the limiting factor for growth. About 15% of the world's nitrogen fixed naturally is from symbiotic relationships between various species of the Frankia family of actinobacteria and their host plants. The plants that form symbiotic relationships with Frankia are called actinorhizal plants. The Frankia is able to provide most or all of the host plant's nitrogen needs. These nitrogen fixing bacteria and their host plants are often pioneer species on young nitrogen deficient and disturbed soils such as moraines, volcanic flows and sand dunes. They help create a reservoir of nitrogen rich soil that the next wave of plants can benefit from. The Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria – Frankia

12. Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria – Frankia Frankia Nodules

13. Breaking down the cellulose and lignin found in wood and paper and the chitlin found in the exoskeletons of insects. Breakdown of the materials makes nutrients once again available to plants. The "earthy" smell of freshly turned soil is caused by actinomycetes at work. While some species of actinobacteria are thermophiles , loving the heat of an active hot compost. During the long cool curing stage of compost they extend their hyphae like threads throughout the compost. They are whitish grey cobweb like threads. Actinobacteria and fungi to develop in compost stop turning your pile during the curing phase. Decomposer Actinomycetes