Table Of ContentActinobacteria
Basics and
Biotechnological Applications
Edited by Dharumadurai Dhanasekaran and Yi Jiang
Actinobacteria: Basics and Biotechnological Applications
Edited by Dharumadurai Dhanasekaran and Yi Jiang
Published by ExLi4EvA
Copyright © 2016
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First published February 11, 2016
ISBN-10: 953-51-2248-7
ISBN-13: 978-953-51-2248-7
C ontents
Preface
Chapter 1 An Introduction to Actinobacteria
by Ranjani Anandan, Dhanasekaran Dharumadurai and
Gopinath Ponnusamy Manogaran
Chapter 2 Isolation and Cultivation Methods of Actinobacteria
by Yi Jiang, Qinyuan Li, Xiu Chen and Chenglin Jiang
Chapter 3 Morphological Identification of Actinobacteria
by Qinyuan Li, Xiu Chen, Yi Jiang and Chenglin Jiang
Chapter 4 Cultural, Physiological, and Biochemical Identification of
Actinobacteria
by Qinyuan Li, Xiu Chen, Yi Jiang and Chenglin Jiang
Chapter 5 Chemotaxonomy of Actinobacteria
by Yongxia Wang and Yi Jiang
Chapter 6 Molecular Phylogenetic Identification of Actinobacteria
by Xiu Chen, Yi Jiang, Qinyuan Li, Li Han and Chenglin Jiang
Chapter 7 Production of Antibacterial Compounds from Actinomycetes
by Letizia Lo Grasso, Delia Chillura Martino and Rosa Alduina
Chapter 8 Biotechnological Potential of Oxidative Enzymes from
Actinobacteria
by Marilize Le Roes-Hill and Alaric Prins
Chapter 9 Hypersaline Actinomycetes and Their Biological
Applications
by Mariadhas Valan Arasu, Galal Ali Esmail and Naif Abdullah
Al-Dhabi
VI Contents
Chapter 10 Actinobacteria as Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria
by Marcela Franco-Correa and Vanessa Chavarro-Anzola
Chapter 11 Frankia as a Biodegrading Agent
by Medhat Rehan, Erik Swanson and Louis S. Tisa
Chapter 12 Enzymes and Phytohormones from Micromonospora
by Waleed M. Abdulkhair and Mousa A. Alghuthaymi
Chapter 13 Industrial Enzymes and Metabolites from Actinobacteria in
Food and Medicine Industry
by María Valdés Ramírez and Liliana Calzadíaz
Chapter 14 Actinobacteria — A Biofactory of Novel Enzymes
by Govindharaj Vaijayanthi, Ramasamy Vijayakumar and
Dharmadurai Dhanasekaran
Chapter 15 Advanced Oxidation Process Applied to Actinobacterium
Disinfection
by Michelle Fernanda Brugnera, Bárbara Camila de Araújo Souza
and Maria Valnice Boldrin Zanoni
Chapter 16 Green Nano Actinobacteriology – An Interdisciplinary Study
by Mrinalini J. Singh
Preface
This book presents an introductory overview of Actinobacteria with
three main divisions: taxonomic principles, bioprospecting, and
agriculture and industrial utility, which covers isolation, cultivation
methods, and identification of Actinobacteria and production and
biotechnological potential of antibacterial compounds and enzymes
from Actinobacteria.
Moreover, this book also provides a comprehensive account on plant
growth-promoting (PGP) and pollutant degrading ability of
Actinobacteria and the exploitation of Actinobacteria as ecofriendly
nanofactories for biosynthesis of nanoparticles, such as gold and silver.
This book will be beneficial for the graduate students, teachers,
researchers, biotechnologists, and other professionals, who are
interested to fortify and expand their knowledge about Actinobacteria in
the field of Microbiology, Biotechnology, Biomedical Science, Plant
Science, Agriculture, Plant pathology, Environmental Science, etc.
Chapter 1
An Introduction to Actinobacteria
Ranjani Anandan, Dhanasekaran Dharumadurai and
Gopinath Ponnusamy Manogaran
Additional information is available at the end of the chapter
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/62329
Abstract
Actinobacteria, which share the characteristics of both bacteria and fungi, are widely dis‐
tributed in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, mainly in soil, where they play an es‐
sential role in recycling refractory biomaterials by decomposing complex mixtures of
polymers in dead plants and animals and fungal materials. They are considered as the bi‐
otechnologically valuable bacteria that are exploited for its secondary metabolite produc‐
tion. Approximately, 10,000 bioactive metabolites are produced by Actinobacteria, which
is 45% of all bioactive microbial metabolites discovered. Especially Streptomyces species
produce industrially important microorganisms as they are a rich source of several useful
bioactive natural products with potential applications. Though it has various applica‐
tions, some Actinobacteria have its own negative effect against plants, animals, and hu‐
mans. On this context, this chapter summarizes the general characteristics of
Actinobacteria, its habitat, systematic classification, various biotechnological applications,
and negative impact on plants and animals.
Keywords: Actinobacteria, Characteristics, Habitat, Types, Secondary metabolites, Appli‐
cations, Pathogens
1. Introduction
Actinobacteria are a group of Gram-positive bacteria with high guanine and cytosine content
in their DNA, which can be terrestrial or aquatic. Though they are unicellular like bacteria,
they do not have distinct cell wall, but they produce a mycelium that is nonseptate and more
slender. Actinobacteria include some of the most common soil, freshwater, and marine type,
playing an important role in decomposition of organic materials, such as cellulose and chitin,
thereby playing a vital part in organic matter turnover and carbon cycle, replenishing the
supply of nutrients in the soil, and is an important part of humus formation. Actinobacterial
