A Closer Look at Actinomycetes

Book excerpt: "Actinomycetes are a versatile group of Gram positive 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. With the frequent emergence of multidrug resistant bacteria, which are outpacing the discovery of new antibiotics, there is a renewed interest in actinomycetes from special habitats such as extreme habitats in the marine environment, salt pans, geothermal springs, permanently frozen polar environments etc. Endophytic actinomycetes are also attracting the attention of current researchers in this field. This book titled "A Closer Look at Actinomycetes" is a compilation of articles which deals with interesting topics such as "actinomycetes as microbial drug factories", endophytic fungi from special habitats of Pakistan as well as strategies for exploration of actinomycetes diversity and the taxonomy of actinomycetes should be of great interest to those who are interested in Actinomycetes research. People with interest in general microbiology will also find it an interesting read"--